


Educating Oliver

by Olicity1013



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Gen, olicity - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-29
Updated: 2014-03-09
Packaged: 2017-12-21 17:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 78,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/902936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olicity1013/pseuds/Olicity1013
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Felicity and Oliver come to an agreement about some things he's missing in his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Education Begins

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: This is a theme I tend to craft stories around for various 'ships that I support in different fandoms, so I decided to see if it would fit Olicity. Bottom line, Oliver is so tortured that I just had give him an outlet and a little Olicity relief along his path to Green Arrowdom. (Also, Tommy lives in this story. I love Tommy. He needs to be alive in my world.) I welcome your thoughts and comments!

Felicity sighed as she pulled the bag of popcorn from the microwave and dumped it into a bowl. She then proceeded to pour melted butter over the kernels and shake more salt than was healthy on top of it. Grabbing the bowl and a soda she headed into the living room, settling down on the couch and flipping on the TV. After five minutes of searching, she realized nothing was capturing her attention. Which meant it was time to break out the DVR and try and catch up on the shows she'd missed over the past few months. She paused to consider the fact that she hadn't watched TV, at least for fun, since before the earthquake.

It hadn't been an easy three months. In fact, if asked, she'd probably say they'd been some of the most difficult of her life. But at the same time, more rewarding than she'd ever hoped. And a large part of that was due to two of the most important men in her life.

She smiled as her mind recalled many of the moments over the past months when John had made her laugh, easing tensions that grew from a feeling of hopelessness. He seemed to always have the right word, a strong hug, or the means to calm her down when their boss had managed to stress her out more than normal. He and Carly had finally started dating in the wake of the earthquake and naturally that made John happier than she'd seen him in ages. He was still determined to find and kill Floyd Lawton, but he'd agreed to put that on the back burner until Oliver figured things out with his company and his alter-ego. She was extremely glad for this as she didn't know how she would have made it through the aftermath of the earthquake without him. She was pretty sure Oliver felt the same way, although she was also pretty sure he'd never outright admit it.

Which brought her thoughts back to the person she'd been trying not to think about for the past few hours. If she were honest, she'd been trying not to think of him since the day she'd first looked up to meet his intense gaze as he delivered her a bullet ridden computer along with a very lame explanation.

Oliver hadn't had an easy few months either. The guilt of not stopping Malcolm Merlyn's earthquake machines weighed heavily on him, even though she'd told him countless times that he, that none of them, could have anticipated a second device. As penance, he'd dedicated himself to working even harder to restore the Glades, putting the weight of Queen Consolidated behind it.

The one light in the darkness, was that Oliver had managed to save Tommy. It had been close and for a moment, he'd thought he'd lost his best friend, but quick thinking from a just arrived Digg and the luck of a pair of paramedics being nearby had Tommy out from under the rubble and headed for the hospital within minutes of his heart stopping. He'd crashed several more times on the way but the doctors had managed to save him. She didn't want to think about what might have happened if Oliver had lost someone else close to him.

But even saving Tommy hadn't been enough to bring him out of his funk of guilt and depression. The public needed a scapegoat and the Queen family had been the quickest and easiest one. With Moira in jail, awaiting trial, it had fallen to Oliver and Thea to deal with the brunt of the situation. Walter was doing what he could to deal with the international aspects of the situation from London, but hadn't wanted to return to Starling City where the memories of Moira's betrayal were still too fresh. The siblings had put on a united front, although Oliver had Thea dealing more with Verdant's reconstruction, in hopes of keeping her away from the worst of the backlash. It hadn't been a picnic for Tommy either, who'd been fighting, albeit from a hospital bed, to separate himself from his father's plans, but public opinion seemed to favor him as more of the unintended victim of his father's deadly obsession.

Which meant Oliver, as acting CEO, was now the target of intense scrutiny, revenge plots, lawsuits and a host of other legal issues that the QC lawyers were working through. The sheer amount of work saving his family business entailed also meant he'd had to curb his late night activities. Digg was acting as strictly a body guard as Oliver had told them both that right now, Oliver Queen was needed more than the Hood.

However, she'd really begun to wonder about that, as without the Hood, the Glades had become a hotbed of looting, thievery and murder in the wake of its destruction. The police were barely able to handle it, and to her surprise, she'd even been asked several times by Detective Lance if she could put in a word with the Hood to get him to help out. That moment had made her realize how bad things really were. If the Hood's main adversary wanted his help, Armageddon must be near.

Oliver had acknowledged her point when she'd made it, including mentioning Lance's request, but said it would have to wait as he had to save his family's company first, if for no other reason than it provided the resources needed to make the Hood's nightly activities possible. That time, she admitted he had a point, but told him he'd better figure something out fast or the Glades would be overrun with crime and much harder to restore, even with all the money in the world.

Which brought her back to the present and her current situation. She still had her job in IT, in fact, she was busier than ever trying to restore the communication structure in the Glades. Queen Consolidated had donated a huge amount of money to restore phone, Internet and other lines of communication and Felicity somehow had ended up taking the lead on the project.

Not that she wasn't thrilled Oliver thought enough of her to ask her to do it, but spending so much time in the Glades, seeing firsthand the devastation and aftermath also served to show her that the situation was getting worse. And to be honest, she missed Team Arrow and their dual lives. But, she couldn't change Oliver's mind. Not that she'd ever been able to, but it was nice to think that maybe someday he'd listen.

Because despite everything, the two of them had become even closer in the aftermath of the disaster. In those initial days, when Tommy was clinging to life, Laurel by his side, Digg hospitalized with a dislocated shoulder and broken leg, it had been Oliver and Felicity who leaned on each other. They'd spent countless nights sitting in silence, Felicity waiting until Oliver was ready to speak. To her surprise, he'd only broken down once, and to her knowledge, only in front of her. It had been a defining moment in their friendship as she knew he completely trusted her if he was allowing her to see him so weak. She'd simply held him and said nothing, the brush of her hand through his close-cropped hair saying more than any words she could come up with.

As the days had passed, she'd seen the worst of the depression lift although the guilt remained. Still, she'd treasured those moments when he'd simply seek her out, training hard and long behind her as she worked her magic on the computers. He might not be going out and fighting crime as the Hood, but she knew he treasured those moments of quiet in the basement of Verdant after a day dealing with the cutthroat world of corporate America. But it did nothing to curb the feelings she had for him. Feelings that she was pretty sure by now had turned into full-fledged, undeniable love. Feelings that she knew were not shared.

Because he was still seeing Laurel. Beautiful Laurel, gorgeous Laurel. Laurel who'd stayed with him despite Tommy's injury and declaration of love amid the rubble. Why, she had no clue. And the pain she saw on Tommy's face whenever they were together, reflected exactly how she felt inside, but hopefully had done a better job of hiding.

She felt her heart ache as she realized that Oliver would never see her as more than a trusted friend, a sidekick IT girl who could get him whatever he needed, whenever he needed it. A friend he trusted with his life and his secrets, but not with his heart.

She supposed there were worse situations to be in. After all, she did know a side of him Laurel never would. And having Oliver's trust was nothing to be scoffed at. Plus, having him as a friend (albeit a friend who liked to work out half naked in her presence) was more than most people could say about Starling City's former playboy billionaire.

But it didn't help the fact that she wanted more. She wanted a lot more. She wanted it all.

But, in the end, she was a practical girl and she knew that the geeky IT girl never got the handsome prince…unless it was a fairy tale. And she'd given up believing in fairy tales a long time ago.

But she needed him. His brooding, his warmth, his smile, his loyalty, everything that made him the Oliver she'd had the privilege (and frustration) of getting to know in the past year. So, she'd go on being his best friend, his girl Friday, and on some days his sanity, if it meant keeping him in her life in some way. Because now that she'd become a part of Oliver's life, she wasn't sure she would know how to exist outside of it. If she was feeling charitable, she might say that she wasn't sure Oliver could exist without her in his life either.

But she really wasn't feeling charitable tonight. Especially since he was attending a fundraiser with Laurel on his arm. Despite the problems the Queen family was facing, it was amazing how many parties and events he was still invited to. And Laurel always accompanied him. They really did make a dazzling couple, and made the gossip pages regularly. And Oliver seemed to love her, in his own way. A strange way, she did admit, but she didn't doubt it. Laurel had always been the light at the end of his tunnel, what kept him alive on the island. She supposed she'd just have to accept it, and her place in his life. But she didn't have to like it.

Thankfully, she hadn't had to deal much with the brunette as the lawyer had been on a crusade of her own to represent what seemed like half the population of the 'd met several times, inevitable really with her work restoring the Glades infrastructure and her position at QC. Laurel was aware she worked with Oliver and that they were friends, but while polite, seemed happier to avoid her when possible. The feeling was mutual.

In this way, she supposed she'd been luckier than Tommy. Even as he recovered, and tried to sort out things with Merlyn Global, he had to interact with Oliver. Which meant interacting with Laurel. It was just plain awkward all around, and after witnessing one tense encounter between the three of them, she'd realized it was better if she just avoided them altogether. Since she and Laurel moved in completely different circles, it hadn't been hard.

Still, the question she now faced was how did she adapt to being only a 'best friend' to the man she loved? She'd been doing good so far, but some days, days like today, she felt so worn down and hopeless, that she wondered if she could keep this up. Wondered how long she could contain, much less mask her growing feelings.

If she were smart, she'd walk away. Get as far from Oliver and Starling City as possible. Start over, somewhere fresh, as someone new perhaps. And she was smart, no one denied that. But she didn't think she was smart enough, nor strong enough to walk away from the life she'd made, the work she'd done and was doing. She didn't think she was smart enough to walk away from the one man who'd stirred up more emotions, more feelings, more life in her than anyone else she'd ever known.

She brushed away a tear as the melancholy thoughts brought her back to the present. Taking a deep breath, she gave herself a quick pep talk, reminding herself that she was young, attractive, and should be capable of finding someone to fill the Oliver shaped void in her romantic life. If, that was, she had time to think about dating. Which hadn't happened much since she'd found the Hood bleeding and bruised in her backseat. Still, didn't she owe it to herself to try?

The mind it seemed was willing, the heart not so much, as the thought of being with anyone other than Oliver made her heart ache.

But she couldn't do much about that now. In fact, the only course available to her it seemed on this Saturday night, was to curl up with a man who could never disappoint her. No matter which of his eleven faces he was wearing. With a sigh, she punched up the DVR and settled back to see what the Doctor and his companion were getting into now.

Twenty minutes later she was biting her lip, a pillow clutched to her chest as she watched the Weeping Angels move closer, fighting the urge to yell "DON'T BLINK!" at the screen as loud as she could, when the knock came at her door. She jumped, the sound loud despite the noise from the TV. Her heart racing, she brought her body under control, pausing the DVR before moving towards the door, wondering who it could be at, she checked the clock, almost midnight. The only person that would dare appear this late was otherwise occupied with a beautiful brunette and high society. And chances are he'd use the fire escape.

Which was why she couldn't hide her startled gasp when she opened the door to find herself staring into the eyes she'd been trying to forget all night.


	2. Angels & Demons

"Oliver? What are you doing here? I thought you were out with Laurel at some fundraiser." She stopped herself, nervously biting her lip, heart skipping a beat as she noticed he was sporting formal wear, although he'd removed his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. She swallowed hard, trying not to stare at his clavicle as she waited for him to speak.

"Hey Felicity, I hope you don't mind me stopping by so late," he said, taking immediate notice of her outfit. He was not surprised to find his heart beat a little faster the adorable sight of her wearing a pair of gym shorts and a T-shirt that sported the words "not that kind of doctor." He forced the feeling down, reminding himself she was his best friend not to mention one of the few people who'd seen him at his worst and stuck around. Plus, he shouldn't be thinking how well the clingy t-shirt showed off her curves. He was, after all, dating Laurel.

"No, it's fine, I'm just used to you using the fire escape and wearing leather," she replied, recovering her power of speech and stepping back to let him in. She paused as he just stood there, looking at her with a strange expression in his eyes. "Is something wrong?" she asked, noting his gaze never wavered from her. She looked down, suddenly realizing what she was wearing. She could feel the blush, but forced it back. She had every right to be wearing what served as her pajamas on a normal night. Most people would be asleep by now anyhow. She told herself the quick spark she thought she saw shoot through his eyes was only her overactive imagination.

"Nothing's wrong," he said, quickly recovering himself as he realized he'd been staring like a lecher at her. Stepping through the door, he continued. "Laurel didn't feel great and wanted to go home and the fundraiser was really boring, and I went back to Verdant to work out but it was too quiet, and well, I just sort of found myself here as I really didn't want to be alone." He was surprised to realize he could ramble as well as Felicity if the situation warranted. But it disturbed him a little that he felt the need to ramble in her presence.

Felicity wasn't sure what to think as she contemplated his words. Although something inside her thrilled to the idea that he'd sought her out. Suddenly realizing the door was open behind him, she slipped past him to push it closed. "Well, I can't promise you the most exciting night in the world, but you're more than welcome to watch TV with me."

Oliver felt a tightness in his chest that had been there all night suddenly loosen. It shouldn't have surprised him as that tended to happen a lot when he was around Felicity. It was, he could admit, what had brought him to her doorstep. She was a breath of fresh air after an evening of fawning over people who he couldn't stand, who whispered behind his back about his Mother and Malcolm, about Tommy and Laurel, about the playboy son taking on his family business. Laurel hadn't been much help either as she'd spent most of the time trying to drum up funds for her own legal defense efforts for the residents of the Glades. To tell the truth, he'd never felt more alone than he had in the past four hours.

Which was why Felicity's smile and easy acceptance, no questions asked, of his reason for appearing on her doorstep suddenly made him feel a little less lonely. Following her into the living room, he noticed the bowl of popcorn on the table in front of the TV and his stomach let out a loud growl.

Felicity couldn't help but laugh. "Sounds like someone's hungry, didn't they feed you at the fundraiser?" She heard him laugh, deep and rich behind her and fought down the shiver that ran through her at the sound.

"Appetizers and finger foods aren't what I'd call a feast," he offered as he slipped off his jacket, settled onto the couch and reached for a handful of popcorn. He sighed as he tasted it. "Finally, someone who believes there can never be enough butter and salt on popcorn." He smiled as she laughed.

"It's probably the most unhealthy popcorn you can find but I need my butter and salt fix," she replied, grinning as he popped another handful into his mouth. She tried to ignore how the movement of his arm stretched his dress shirt across his chest in a very appealing way.

"I think popcorn was one of the foods I missed most on the Island," he offered, taking another handful. "I learned how to fish, and there were plenty of berries and greens I found to eat, but there was a distinct lack of corn." He paused for a moment, realizing he didn't feel uncomfortable telling her about this. It was something he'd analyze more later, as right now, he wanted another handful of popcorn.

Felicity bit her lip, wanting to ask more, but not wanting to interrupt what looked like an island memory that was NOT causing him pain. Those were few and far between and she felt the ache in her heart ease just a bit as she realized he must have felt comfortable enough around her to share the memory with her.

"Well, I've got plenty of the stuff, and am happy to make more," she offered, smiling as he continued munching.

Oliver paused in his chewing as he observed her smile in the light of the TV. She had her glasses on but her face was devoid of makeup. Not surprisingly, he thought she looked more beautiful without it. In fact, he didn't think he'd ever seen her look so relaxed or so beautiful. The thought made him realize his mind was going down a path it shouldn't in relation to his friend and he quickly regrouped. "So, what are we watching? And please, tell me it has nothing to do with Colin Firth."

Felicity frowned. "What's wrong with Colin Firth? His Mr. Darcy could sweep me off my feet any day." She knew her tone was accusatory, but no one insulted Colin Firth in her presence. Not even Oliver.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "What is it with that man? Thea nearly killed me when I made some comment about not understanding why women found him so attractive." He sighed as he noted the expression on her face. She really was cute when she was annoyed with him.

"We are so not going there." She sighed as she flopped down on the other side of the sofa from where he sat. "However, I am going to introduce you to another Brit that happens to be one of my favorite men in the world."

Oliver frowned at the devotion he heard in her voice. He didn't like the thought of her thinking of any man so highly. At least, any man that wasn't him. But he wasn't going to go there. Most definitely not.

"Oliver? Where'd you go? I lost you there for a moment." Felicity wondered at the different emotions she could see reflected in his eyes, before they settled back on her with a look that made her catch her breath.

"Sorry, just wondering what type of man makes it to the top of Felicity Smoak's favorites list." He could have sworn he saw her blush deepen and he felt his own heart skip a beat as he waited for her response.

Felicity figured it would really freak him out if she answered truthfully, that he was at the top of her list. Definitely not the route to go although it was on the tip of her tongue. Not for the first time did she offer a prayer of thanks that she hadn't let it slip out against her will.

"Felicity? Cat got your tongue?" Oliver was amused to see her eyes, which had gone distant for a moment, focus back on him. For just a moment, he wondered if by some chance he might be at the top of her list. Wondered why that thought made something inside him feel rather primitive and feral.

"Sorry, I'm just prioritizing" she answered, trying to think on her feet and not get lost in his amused eyes. "Tennant's Doctor is pretty high up there, although I have a fondness for Eccleston that doesn't seem to disappear. Then of course there's Colin Firth, and Colin O'Donoghue from "Once Upon a Time" he's the sexiest Captain Hook I've ever seen. And I can't forget Channing Tatum…talk about a set of abs on a man that knows how to show them off…" She stopped, feeling a blush heat her cheeks again as she realized she was rambling. Not to mention there was a strange look on Oliver's face. She quickly thought back to what she'd just babbled and felt the blush deepen.

"So you have a thing for men who like to show off their abs?" He wasn't sure why he'd said that, but he suspected it had something to with thinking she was absolutely breathtaking when she blushed and stumbled over her words. Plus, he really, really wanted to know her answer.

Felicity bit her lip, trying to figure out how to respond without getting herself into embarrassing waters. It wasn't unusual for Oliver to tease her, but in this setting, it was rather off putting. Not in a bad way, mind you, but still...

"Felicity?" His voice drew her out of her thoughts. Humor, that was how she had to play this even though his smile was in danger of making her melt into a puddle.

"Have you seen 'Magic Mike'?" She saw the confusion on his face and grimaced. "Of course you haven't that came out two years ago and well, you were otherwise occupied, not to mention I don't think it's really up your alley, at least I hope not," she cut herself off as she saw him watching her with an amused expression. "Never mind, let's just say I know what I'm talking about and there's a reason they're making a 'Magic Mike 2'."

Oliver frowned. "Do I even want to know what kind of a movie is called "Magic Mike" and features Channing Tatum's abs?"

Felicity laughed. "Probably not. Besides, I really don't think it's the type of movie Oliver Queen would find amusing," she offered. She also refused to admit that when she watched the movie, she tended to transpose Oliver's body onto Channing's. Definitely not going there with him sitting on the other end of the sofa.

Oliver sighed as her words registered. They struck a chord in him as he realized that he didn't know what type of movies he would find amusing anymore. In fact, he couldn't remember the last movie he'd seen, even before the island. Of course, then he'd paid more attention to how far he could get with his dates than to what was on the screen.

"Oliver, you okay?" Felicity saw a myriad of emotions filter through his eyes, and the sadness that replaced them all made her own throat tighten. She had a suspicion he was thinking about all he'd missed while on the island. She wished she could do something to comfort him, but didn't know what that might be. She settled for reaching over and squeezing his hand, showing she understood. It was a gesture she'd found came easier to both of them over the past few months though they never acknowledged it.

Oliver came back to himself with a start, not surprised to find his hand linked with Felicity's. It seemed her hand was always there when he needed it. He chose not to think about how right it felt in his.

"Sorry, I was just thinking that I couldn't remember the last time I saw a movie, even before the island."

Felicity frowned. "I'd think you'd have been at every premiere out there, as they tended to be social events for Starling City, and one thing you could count on was Oliver Queen making the scene," she offered, hoping he didn't take offense at her words.

Oliver sighed. "I did go to a lot of premieres, but I really didn't pay much attention to the movie," he offered sheepishly, seeing her eyes widen as she realized what he was implying.

"Oh, of course," she fought back the image that hit her of being in a darkened movie theater with a very amorous Oliver Queen next to her. Suddenly, her small living room seemed awfully warm.

"I missed a lot in those five years, but even more before then," his words had a bitter edge to them. "I was pretty screwed up and selfish back then, I don't know how anyone put up with me."

Felicity sighed, squeezing the hand she realized neither had let go of while they talked. "Oliver, everyone has things they regret in their past, trust me, I wasn't always this babbling, blonde IT genius you see before you, but everyone changes. You've changed a lot and I think you should be proud of that. I'm proud of you," she offered, blushing even as she said the words, wondering how juvenile they sounded.

Oliver marveled at her words, amazed she could see anything redeemable in him. They humbled him in some ways, made him feel even stronger in others. Felicity Smoak was truly a remarkable woman. Who apparently, had a past of her own.

"So, now I'm curious, what is in Felicity Smoak's past that she's changed besides her hair color?" His smile grew as he saw her eyes widen. He was pretty sure she hadn't realized he'd caught that part of her rambling.

Felicity swallowed hard as she heard his question. Oh she was so not going there. Not with him. Not ever. Which meant she had to get them onto a different topic. Immediately.

"Nothing that you need to concern yourself with," she replied, hurrying on before he could interrupt her. "Besides, how did we get on this topic, I thought we were going to watch TV?"

Oliver smiled, realizing suddenly that here, on her couch, watching her get flustered over his words, he felt more at home, more comfortable than he did anywhere else. Including at Laurel's place. The thought of his girlfriend sobered him for a moment, but he quickly pushed the image down. He wasn't going to think about Laurel right now. He wanted to enjoy the night with his best friend. His very beautiful best friend. Who seemed determined to educate him about popular culture.

"That we were, so," he settled himself deeper into the couch, finally turning his attention to the screen. He frowned. "Why are you watching a show about Angel statues? I thought you said this was a show featuring one of your favorite men?"

Felicity laughed. Only Oliver. "Trust me, you're never going to see angel statues the same again. We're starting from the beginning so you'll understand." With a grin, she started the episode over, deciding half the fun was going to be seeing how Oliver reacted to the Weeping Angels.

Oliver thought he should be wary of the look in her eyes, but he chose to ignore it, focusing again on the screen as he helped himself to more popcorn. How bad could a TV show about statues be?

Thirty minutes later, he found out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weeping Angels=Scarier than most things out there (Doctor Who fans will know and understand). Hope you enjoyed, and please leave some feedback if you feel so inclined.


	3. The Proposition

By the time the episode ended, Oliver had decided that he was taking a different path on his next visit to the Queen family burial plot. And he might have to consider replacing the stone angel that stood atop the family tomb.

But all that paled in comparison to the amusement he felt at observing how his companion had reacted to what was going on on the screen. She alternated between burying her head in the pillow she clutched to her chest, or making irritated comments addressed to the people on screen. Her indignation with the Doctor (who he'd quickly learned was rather impulsive but had good survival skills) had him fighting back laughter, although not always successfully. She'd taken to giving him annoyed looks when a chuckle would slip out and he'd make some lame excuse that would have her rolling her eyes but earning him a smile as well. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so relaxed and well, content. It was an unusual, but not unwelcome realization.

Felicity had found more enjoyment in sneaking glances at Oliver, judging his reaction to both the Weeping Angels, and the Doctor. Not that it had stopped her from her usual rants and yelling at the screen that so often populated her Dr. Who viewings, but she'd enjoyed the laughs she'd managed to get out of him. It was not only good to hear him laugh, but amusing to no end to watch when he jumped at something on the screen, then quickly tried to cover his reaction. She was really enjoying this side of him.

"So, what did you think?" She glanced over at him as the episode ended, noting he was wearing a contemplative look. "Don't try to fool me, I saw you jump at some parts," she teased, holding up her hand as he jumped in to defend himself. "There's no shame in fearing statues. In fact, I've always thought they were creepy. Not as creepy as kangaroos, but you know, they're pretty high up there. It probably started when my grandmother took me to the Lincoln Memorial when I was a kid," she mused, stopping as his laughter filled the room.

When he'd managed to get himself under control, he gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry, it's just I don't think I've ever heard someone compare statues and kangaroos in the same sentence involving the word scary," he offered, another laugh escaping.

Felicity shrugged. 'Well, we all have our quirks, don't we Mr. "I-use-a-salmon-ladder-and-beat-up-on-my-bodyguard -for-fun," she shot back, glad to see him raise a hand in surrender.

"Ok, truce," he offered. "I will admit that I'm going to have to find a way to explain to Thea why the family crypt no longer has an angel watching over it," he conceded, amused as she fist pumped the air.

"See, I told you the Weeping Angels would get to you." The satisfaction in her voice made him smile and suddenly he never wanted this moment to end. After months of stress, guilt, danger and just plain insanity, he finally felt, almost, normal. It was a good feeling. One he'd begun to realize that Felicity was getting better at inspiring in him. Which, as he thought more about it, might not exactly be good for a man who had a girlfriend.

Albeit things weren't exactly good with Laurel right now, especially with the Tommy situation, but they were in a relationship. And he did love her, he always had. She was his dream girl, the one he'd survived those years on that island for, the one that had given him a second chance when he'd returned even though he didn't deserve it. Even though it had come at the expense of his best friend.

Which meant he shouldn't be enjoying himself so much with Felicity tonight. But he was loath to give up this feeling of contentment. He really, really needed that in a life that was becoming more and more complicated. A world and a life where he could really only trust two people, one of whom was sitting next to him. So really, in the end, was it so bad to be enjoying his best friend's company, or the way she could get him to laugh with a word or a look? It wasn't like they were doing anything wrong, anything that Laurel could be upset about, right?

"Okay, you went all Moody Eyed, there, where'd you go?" Felicity watched as his eyes focused again, wondering what was going through his mind. She had a feeling they were melancholy thoughts again.

"Sorry, I was actually just thinking about how much I've missed while I was on the island," he offered quickly, hoping it would appease her as it was somewhat, if not all true.

Felicity wasn't buying the answer but she wasn't going to challenge it. If he wanted to share something with her, he would in his own time. If nothing else, she'd learned patience from working with both Oliver and the Hood.

"Well, it's only five years, you should be able to catch up if you want to," she paused biting her lip as the reality of the situation struck. "Of course you probably don't have time and catching up on popular culture is the least of the things you need to be doing what with the company in shambles and mess in the Glades." She was rambling, but she made herself go quiet.

Oliver sighed. He knew she was right. The company was still a mess, the Queen name still mud among many people. It wasn't going to get better anytime soon. Not to mention he knew that Felicity was right in her worry over what was happening in the Glades. The Hood needed to reappear and do something before it got out of hand even more than it already was. Just another thing to add to the list of things he was responsible for.

But then, he realized something. It became suddenly clear to him, sitting on the couch with her at his side and he knew, instinctively it was exactly what he needed. What they both needed. Because despite how preoccupied he was, it hadn't escaped his notice the Felicity wasn't in a much better place with all she'd seen and done over the past months.

"Ok, you've got that 'eureka!' look now, what's going on in your mind?" Felicity wasn't sure if she should be excited or scared as he turned his gaze to hers.

"Felicity, I have a proposition for you," he offered, smiling as he saw her eyes go slightly unfocused at his words. He was pretty sure he knew where her mind had gone but he wasn't going to call her on it to spare them both any embarrassment.

"A proposition? Does it involve arrows? Or me suiting up and joining you in a crusade for truth, justice and the Oliver Queen way?" She laughed at the look he shot her, hoping he hadn't noticed that her eyes had glazed over a moment, her mind taking the word 'proposition' to a completely different level than she was sure he'd meant it.

Oliver smiled. "Being here, watching TV with you, just relaxing made me realize I really have missed a lot in the past five years. Especially the things everyone takes for granted and just accepts as normal. Movies, books, cultural events. For so long I've been obsessed with nothing but justice, for the Glades, for my father, for everyone who died. And I still am. I am nothing if not determined to save the company and rebuild the Glades."

The conviction in his voice made her smile. That was pure Oliver.

"But, I'm not doing anyone any good if I can't learn to relax and balance things more, not just with my business life, but as the Hood, and with my everyday life." His voice was contemplative now.

"Oliver, what are you saying? You're going to go back to being the Hood? And where does this proposition fit into that?" She truly wanted to know and was now a bit worried that he was sounding like a self-help guru.

"I'm saying that it's about time the Hood made an appearance again, but that if I'm going to balance my alter-egos and no go or drive everyone crazy, I need to make sure I do something fun, something that relaxes me and allows me to be neither the Hood nor the billionaire CEO trying to save his family's legacy."

She was intrigued now as he focused his gaze intently on her.

"So, my proposition, if you're interested, and if you think you can find time while still being Oliver and the Hood's girl Friday," he paused as he saw the smile that lit up her face at the reference, "is if you'll help me discover all I've missed about the real world, pop culture and all."

Felicity was confused. "Ok, what exactly are you asking me Oliver?"

He smiled as he reached for a handful of popcorn. "I'm saying, I've spent a lot of time blaming myself for things that, responsible for them or not, I can't control. And while I'm not saying that's going to end anytime so soon, I realize that you are one of the few people in my life that makes me smile and at least try to accept that everything isn't my fault." He was pleased to see her blush at the compliment.

Felicity felt something stir in her chest at his admission. Despite the unrequited romantic feelings she harbored for him, it meant a lot that he gave her credit for understanding and helping him. She'd take what she could get, and run with it. Besides, she had a feeling she could bring this back up to hold over him when needed in the future. She smiled, even as she focused her mind back on the original topic that had started this. "While I think you're giving me too much credit, I have to admit, I'm intrigued by what you're offering. So, what exactly are you proposing we do?"

Oliver took a deep breath, trying to formulate his words. "Well, I'm thinking that we should plan a night, maybe every other week, when we can make the time between both our day and night jobs, and just do something fun. You can make me watch movies you think I should know about, or go and do things that all the crazy kids are doing these days. You, Felicity Smoak, can 'educate' me on what popular culture I've missed the past five years." He found himself liking the idea more and more as he spun it out for her.

Felicity's eyes widened. "You want me to undertake this 'education' of yours? Me, your IT girl slash Girl Friday whose idea of a good time is watching Doctor Who and drinking obscure wine?" She knew she sounded incredulous but she wanted to make sure she understood what he was asking. Oliver's smile made her heart skip a beat.

"Yes, I want you to show me what I've been missing, who better than someone who obviously appreciates every aspect of life?" He waited as she mulled over his offer, trying not to notice the appealing way she was biting her lip as she thought.

"Well, I still think you're crazy and that you don't know what you're getting yourself into," she began, stopping as something else suddenly occurred to her. She sighed. "And not to bring this wonderful idea of yours crashing to a halt, but what do you think Laurel is going to think about this, especially of you spending so much of your free time, what little you have, with me?" She waited as she saw his eyes cloud over for moment, hating to bring up Laurel, but she factored into this in a major way. She couldn't not address it.

Oliver sighed, realizing her point. He wondered what it said that he'd never really given much thought to what Laurel might think about his idea. Still, Felicity was his friend, and he couldn't see that Laurel would have a problem with them hanging out. Even if she did, it wasn't like she was spending all her free time with him.

"I don't think she'd mind, she knows we're friends and besides, she's been so caught up in her own work after the earthquake, we haven't really spent a lot of time together, and what we have, hasn't been all that great." He stopped, realizing he probably didn't sound like the greatest boyfriend here, but he couldn't help it. Something about Felicity just made him want to tell her the truth, sometimes against his better judgment. He wasn't sure what to think about that. But he probably should say something in his girlfriend's favor.

"Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like doing things with Laurel," he paused, surprised to find he wasn't sure if he meant the words, but continuing anyhow, "but I think that spending time doing this stuff with you is just as important, if not more so, to helping deal with everything else in my life. With you, I can just be myself, and I think, right now, I need that more than anything. I just need someone I can be myself around," he said honestly, hoping she understood. Although, he wasn't sure he understood himself where this was coming from or what he truly meant.

Felicity bit her lip, the fact that Oliver wanted to spend time with her, outside the Arrowcave, making her heart beat faster. The fact that he'd admitted she was the one of a few people he could be 'normal' around also did wonders for her ego. She knew she shouldn't read too much into it, he was her friend and she knew he enjoyed her company, but she couldn't help but wonder where this might lead, and if it would be a path better off avoiding.

"So what do you say, will you help me get back into life and get away from my alter-egos for a little while every now and then?" He was surprised how anxious he felt as he waited for her reply. He could see she was weighing things in her mind and wondered what she was thinking. He knew it was a very odd proposition, but something inside him really hoped she'd consider it.

Felicity knew it was probably not a good idea to do this, especially with her feelings the way they were for Oliver, but she also knew, bad idea or not, she wasn't going to say no. It came down to the fact that, romantic or not, she really liked being with Oliver, liked Oliver as a person as well as a businessman/masked crime fighter. Plus, she had to admit, the idea of seeing how he reacted to some of the popular culture events he'd missed, was intriguing. The possibilities were endless.

But, she was going to put some caveats on the situation, just to be safe and to make sure a fair deal was struck on both ends. Working at Queen Consolidated had taught her that if nothing else.

"Okay, you have a deal…however," she watched as his eyebrows rose. "This isn't just about me. You have to tell me things you want to do or see or experience as well. If we do this, we both have to share things we like and dislike," she countered, knowing it was going to be alright as she saw him smile.

"I think I can live with that," he replied, happy that she'd agreed. He knew it was dangerous territory he was entering, but the risk taker in him knew he could handle it. At least, he hoped he could handle it. Felicity Smoak was like no one and nothing he'd ever experienced before.

Felicity knew she was getting in over her head but she couldn't stop herself from beaming at his words. She was about to embark on a different sort of adventure with Oliver and who knew where things could end up. She knew where she wanted them to but if they didn't, she could simply be opening herself up to a world of heartbreak. But what would she miss if she didn't take this opportunity to see where it led? Not to mention, she was very curious to get to know this other side of Oliver, one that she suspected very few people got to see.

"Okay, so what do you want to do first for this great plan of yours?" she asked, seeing his eyes turn contemplative. She already had begun formulating ideas but wanted to hear what he thought.

"Well, for starters, are there any good movies or TV shows out there that you think I should see?" he asked, seeing her eyes light up. "Preferably ones that don't involve killer angel statues or manic Doctors?"

Felicity burst into laughter. "Plenty. Of course, you have to want to see them. Or then again, I could just make you suffer through some of the great classics you've missed in the past five years," she mused.

"I don't know if five years is enough to make a movie classic, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." He grinned. "And then I'll make you sit through a few movies that I consider classic."

Felicity grimaced. "As long as none of those involve porn, I'm okay with that."

Oliver laughed. "Why Ms. Smoak, I'm hurt that you think I have such low taste in movies," he teased, feeling his heart lighten at her genuine laughter.

"Well, I guess I'm going to find out, aren't I?" She replied, her breath catching at the look that suddenly appeared in his eyes. For a moment, she let herself believe that this didn't have disaster written all over it.

Oliver wondered if he'd just entered waters too deep for him to navigate. The look in her eyes stole his breath in a way Laurel never had. And he really didn't know how to feel about that.

But for now, he was going to ignore his confusion and focus on the fact that this whole idea was going to simply be two friends, having fun and enjoying a break from the stressful, secret lives they led. And he thought if he kept telling himself that, he might one day believe it.

Felicity grinned as her mind flew through various scenarios. Suddenly, she thought of something else. "So, while I've already got some good ideas brewing up here," she pointed to her head, "how do we explain this to Digg so he doesn't feel left out?"

Oliver laughed, having thought of that angle as well. "Trust me, as busy as he is with Carly, I think he'll understand." Probably better than we both do, he thought. "But we can always invite him if you think he'd want to join us, Carly too," he finished, not sure why the idea of Digg joining in on these 'educational nights' with Felicity didn't quite sit right with him. After all, the three of them did a lot of things together, so why should this be any different? But it was, he realized. The question he was going to have to think about now was why.

He came back to himself as he saw Felicity yawn. He suddenly realized it was past two in the morning. "And on that note, I probably should let you get some sleep." He was surprised to find he was reluctant to end the evening, much less move from his comfortable position on her couch.

Felicity didn't want the night to end, but knew it had to. Besides, they both had an early day. Back to reality, she thought with a small sigh. "I know, especially considering our schedules for tomorrow, today actually," she added looking at the clock, dragging herself up and off the sofa, trying not to miss the warmth that radiated from him.

Oliver grimaced. "You're right, duty calls," he answered as he stood and reached for his coat. He tried to fight down the melancholy of going home alone to a huge, empty mansion. But, he knew he'd see Felicity in a few hours, even if it was in a professional capacity.

Felicity rose and led him to the front door, opening it and watching as Oliver straightened his jacket, thinking how adorably rumpled he looked. She fought down the urge to reach up and kiss him, just to see if she could rumple him more. Bad idea, down girl, she thought.

For a moment, looking down at Felicity standing there, Oliver found himself with the intense urge to lean down and kiss her. But he quickly squashed that feeling, telling himself he was tired and had just imagined the answering spark in Felicity's eyes.

"So, I'll see you in a few hours?" Felicity asked, still fighting the urge to kiss him goodbye. He really did look a lot more adorable all sleepy-eyed and wrinkled.

"Count on it…and start thinking about what you want to do next week, ok?" He smiled as he saw her eyes light up again.

"Okay, and remember, no complaining," she teased as he nodded before turning and stepping through the door. He paused, turning back and giving her a look that made her nearly melt into a puddle at his feet.

"I'm sure you'll come up with something remarkable Felicity," he offered, his voice intense, and probably deeper than he'd meant it to be. But he couldn't help it. He had to watch her eyes go dreamy and unfocused one more time. He had a feeling that look would factor into his dreams tonight.

Before she could reply, he turned and walked down the hall, fighting the urge to turn back. Once again, he wondered what he'd gotten himself into. And once again, he decided he'd worry about it later. Right now, he was simply going to anticipate what she might come up with for next week. He had a feeling he was in bigger trouble than he realized. But no one could accuse Oliver Queen of running from trouble. Especially when it looked like Felicity Smoak.

Felicity watched him go, her mind filled with the possibilities of what the next few weeks would bring. She might be setting herself up for disappointment, but at least she'd have some wonderful memories. And she'd treasure the time she'd get to spend with Oliver.

She had a feeling she was biting off more than she could chew. But never let it be said Felicity Smoak ran from a challenge. Especially when that challenge looked like Oliver Queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins... Hope you enjoyed, and thank so much for all the kudos and comments!


	4. Anticipation

Once again, Felicity was right.

Oliver sighed as he looked at the devastation around him. In the four days the Hood had been back, he'd managed to prevent three robberies, one murder and several drug deals but had probably put more arrows in people, most non-lethal, than he had in all of the past year. Part of him was not surprised that the underworld had taken over the Glades. He knew that if you gave people enough rope, they'd usually hang themselves. And with no clear voice of leadership in the rebuilding effort (other than his own, which wasn't exactly being well received), the Glades had become a hotbed of trouble.

Even more, he found himself wondering and worrying about what could happen to Thea at Verdant, although, he would admit, grudgingly, Roy was doing a pretty good job of keeping her safe. And so far, he'd been too busy to think much about the Hood. But now that Oliver's alter-ego was back on the streets, he figured it was only a matter of time before the younger man was back on his crusade to find him.

Then again, maybe it would help to have a third person out there. After tonight, he was pretty sure that he and Digg couldn't possibly handle everything going on after dark in the area. And Roy seemed determined, if reckless…

Damn Felicity. Her ideas were getting to him. He hadn't really wanted to hear it when she'd mentioned that maybe a third person out in the field would be a good idea earlier that week. He couldn't figure out why she'd suggested Roy as he was a hothead with a temper and he could prove more dangerous than helpful in a tense situation. Of course, Felicity had only raised an eyebrow and said "and that reminds me of whom?" He'd been annoyed as he'd heard Digg smother a laugh, but he had to admit she was right. However, in his defense, he'd had years of training and life-experience in dealing with things like putting arrows in people. Roy was still a child…

A shout nearby brought his senses back to full alert as he turned to scan the area. He noticed a set of shadows moving towards a nearby alley where the scream had come from. He hoped whatever it was wouldn't take long as he really wanted to get back and see what Felicity had found on the newest drug being sold on the streets. And if he were honest, he missed her smile and the way she'd teased him on and off all week with hints and questions about what he considered 'classic movies.' Digg had only given him a knowing smile when Felicity had explained their 'agreement.' He was thankful his friend didn't say more, although he knew he'd wanted to.

"Oliver, you get what's going down on 43rd and Broad?"

Digg's voice crackled in his ear and he focused again on the situation at hand. There would be time enough to tease Felicity and wonder about what she had planned for tomorrow. Right now, he and Digg had a city to try and save. What a way to spend a Friday night.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Felicity hummed to herself as she put the finishing touches on the cookies she'd baked earlier that day in anticipation of 'movie night.' Really, it was ridiculous how much care and thought she'd put into tonight's plans, especially after a week that would have killed a lesser person. She frowned as she thought about the two new scars Oliver sported, after a run in with a drug dealer and his sidekick earlier that week. She was glad the Hood was back in action, but she'd forgotten how much she hated patching him up, or worrying about him and Digg as they were out hunting down the bad guys.

Still, Detective Lance had sent her a terse email, one word really, "thanks" and she took it as a victory. Not to mention Oliver, though he wouldn't admit it directly to her, had made several comments that showed her he now realized she was right about the Glades needing both Oliver Queen and the Hood. Although she'd been on him to come up with a more 'heroic' name than "the Hood" as he really didn't want to be thought of anymore as the Vigilante. She couldn't blame him.

And then there was the insanity that was Queen Consolidated. She only dealt with the IT part of things, but she heard the gossip and knew, from what little Oliver told her, that several shareholders were talking about a takeover. The tension around his mouth and the small lines around his eyes told her more than he knew as he arrived at the lair every night. Part of her thought the Hood was a good way to work off that tension, another part worried that he was going to kill himself trying to juggle the two sides of his life.

Which was probably why she was determined to make this night a fun, non-working one. And if nobody did anything stupid in the Glades, she might just have a chance at getting Oliver to relax for a few hours if nothing else.

As the cookies cooled, she pulled out all the fixings for making popcorn. Since she'd discovered his taste for it, she'd decided she'd go all out and actually pop the corn on the stove, as she actually liked the richer feel and flavor more than microwave popcorn. And she was glad her companion wouldn't complain about the stick of butter she melted to go over it. She supposed Oliver, with all his training and stamina could use the extra calories. She however, would put in an extra hour at the gym next week.

As the kernels popped on the stove, she looked at the clock, feeling butterflies in her stomach as she realized he'd be there within ten minutes. She told herself to calm down, they were simply two friends who were going to watch a movie together. And she had to admit, she was rather excited to see how Oliver reacted to her choice of film.

She was so involved in picturing his reaction that she nearly missed the knock. Jumping at the sound, she quickly turned off the burner and moved towards the door, straightening the T-shirt she wore and glancing quickly in the hall mirror to make sure she looked presentable. With a quick 'you can handle this Felicity, he's your friend' pep talk in her mind, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oliver smiled as he ended his call with Digg. The latter was headed out with Carly and had given him precise instructions that unless the world was ending, and maybe not even then, to not disturb them. He didn't plan to, he'd told his friend, as he intended to relax himself that evening. He'd ignored the innuendo laden response Digg had made about his spending time with Felicity, telling him to go have fun and mind his own business.

The call done, he felt himself begin to relax as he slipped on his jacket and checked his pocket for his keys. Heading out the front door of the mansion, he was glad that Thea and Roy were at the club and therefore, couldn't ask where he was going. The same went for Laurel, who was out of town visiting her grandmother, saying she'd needed to get away from everything for the weekend. She hadn't asked him to go with her and for that, he was extremely grateful.

A touch of guilt hit him for a moment, as he'd neglected to tell his girlfriend where he would be spending the evening, much less with whom. But the fact that she didn't seem to want him around was just fine with him, as it meant he could solely focus on Felicity and what she had planned for the evening. And if she'd asked, he wouldn't have lied. He'd simply have told her he and a friend were going to be watching a movie.

_Right, just a friend. Keep telling yourself that Oliver._

He frowned at his inner monologue, trying to ignore it as he reached the bike and grabbed his helmet. No car tonight. He wanted the feel of the wind on his back as he rode. Riding was one sure way he knew to release the tension of an awful week. And it had been a bad week. From the problems in the Glades mounting, to the threat of the takeover from some very annoying yet determined stockholders. He really didn't want to think about the potential this all had to go bad. It would drive him crazy if he did.

Which was why, as he rode, he made the decision to put everything out of his mind except the fact that he was going to relax and enjoy this moment out of time tonight. When he didn't have to be a shrewd businessman, or a masked archer. He could just be himself, and hopefully, enjoy some popular culture with one of his best friends.

He wondered what movie Felicity had chosen. She'd teased him all week and he was pretty sure it wouldn't be anything like what he'd expected. That was Felicity, always surprising him, even when he didn't think he wanted to be. She had a way of getting him to do a lot of things he might not want to. He smiled as he thought of her sparkling eyes as she laughed at something he'd said. Or the way those eyes turned fiery when she disagreed with him or challenged him on something he'd done. Or the way he'd almost kissed her before he'd left last week.

Deciding he was already thinking too much for a 'relaxing' night, he pulled up to Felicity's building and parked the bike. He removed the helmet, straightened his jacket and headed inside, his heart beating just a little faster as he walked down the hall towards her door. Really, you'd think he was a hormonal teenager all over again. She was just his friend. Wasn't she?

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the front door, noting the delicious smell of popcorn that wafted through the air around him. As she opened the door and he saw the smile on her face as she greeted him, he finally felt the tension of the past week begin to leave his shoulders and he returned the smile as he stepped inside trying hard not to notice the way the t-shirt she wore clung to her curves.

_She's your friend, Oliver. Don't forget that._

He only hoped he could take his own advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wonder what they're going to watch? Thanks again for all your comments and kudos, it is much appreciated!


	5. Movie Night

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
"Right on time Oliver," Felicity said with a laugh as she opened the door and motioned him in. She smiled as she noticed his eyes take a quick sweep of her body, feeling a feminine delight slide through her at the action. She'd dressed comfortably for the evening in a pair of skinny jeans and a purple fitted t-shirt. She knew she looked comfortable yet sexy, something she was happy to realize Oliver had noticed too, even if he'd never admit it.

Oliver forced himself to stop observing how well the purple t-shirt clung to her curves as he followed her into the living room. Taking a quick breath, he took in the room around him, smiling as he noted the bowl of popcorn on the table. And the cookies sitting next to it.

"You baked? I didn't know you baked?" He watched as she nodded, pushing a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail back behind one ear.

"I don't do it often but I had the ingredients and figured why not?" She frowned as she looked at the cookies. "Of course, I don't know if they taste as good as those one's you just pull apart and pop in the oven, or the one's you get at Strauman's bakery, have you had the chocolate frosted chocolate chip? It's too ambitious for me, so you'll have to settle for double chocolate with peanut butter chips-"

"Felicity, breathe." He watched as she bit her lip, laughing as she sighed and went silent. "I'm sure they'll taste great."

"I'll remind you of that if you hate them," she offered, the ease of the moment returning as she gestured for him to take a seat. "What do you want to drink? I've got wine, beer, soda?"

"I'll take a beer, thanks," he replied, dropping his jacket over the armchair and settling into what he was beginning to feel was his regular place on the sofa. As he heard her puttering in the kitchen, he allowed himself a moment to observe her place. It wasn't like he hadn't been here before, including last week, but now, he really looked around, noting the little touches that made the place uniquely Felicity.

Her décor was nothing fancy, but it was comfortable and bright. Pictures lined the room, featuring his IT girl with an older woman he assumed was her grandmother, a slightly younger couple that must be her parents, and various candid snapshots with friends. She looked so happy in every picture. A few plants sat on bookshelves, bringing a bit of the outdoors inside. Books of every kind filled those shelves, along with trinkets and knicknacks he found himself wondering where she'd found. He also was pretty sure he noticed what looked like action figures sitting on the top of one of the bookshelves. He made a mental note to check it out more closely a bit later. Overall, though, her place felt relaxed and lived in. He liked it.

"So, are you finally going to tell me what we're watching?" he asked as she returned, carrying a beer and a glass of wine.

"You're just dying to know, aren't you? You couldn't guess from the hints I dropped all week?" she teased, as he took the beer from her and grabbed a handful of popcorn.

"Honestly, I kind of had a lot of things on my mind this week, and I really didn't think much about it until now," he offered sheepishly as she sighed and settled onto the sofa next to him.

"Trust me, I understand," she offered sympathetically, taking a sip of her wine. "Are things any different with the takeover?"

He grimaced and ran a hand over his head. "Not really, the lawyers however say there's a strong possibility this could happen. I've got them going over everything with a fine tooth comb, but I just don't know."

The frustration in his voice made her heart ache, and she reached over to squeeze his arm, trying not to notice how good his warm skin felt against her palm. "I'm sorry, I've been digging into the backgrounds and companies of the stockholder's involved but so far, nothing's come up that we can fight back with."

Oliver sighed as he turned to look at her, glad for the reassuring feel of her hand on his arm. "I know, and we just have to be patient, but it's not easy. And it doesn't help that the Glades is going downhill fast. I don't know if the Hood, or Oliver, can handle all this."

"Well, I know," Felicity offered, sliding her hand down his arm to clasp his. "Trust me, you can do this, and don't forget you have the crack team of Digg and myself for support and backup," she finished.

Oliver smiled as he turned his palm up and linked their fingers, enjoying the familiar tingle that shot through him at her touch. "How could I forget when someone is always in my ear, reminding me," he teased gently, enjoying the annoyed look he got in reply.

"Well, I still say you could benefit from a third person out in the field," she began, stopping as he gave her the patented 'are you kidding me look.' "I'm just saying, he's pretty handy with his hands and he knows his way around," she offered quietly.

Oliver knew it was a problem that he wasn't upset with her mentioning adding Roy to the team, but more upset over the fact that she'd said the younger man was good with his hands. How would she know that?

"Okay, I see that look, I'm dropping it for tonight, promise," she answered, pulling away to raise both hands in an "I surrender" pose. She saw his eyes were a little darker and decided it was time to get off business and back on track with the fun. She deliberately chose not to focus on how much she regretted letting go of his hand.

"So, as much as we could sit here and rehash how awful our week was, I'm saying we forget it all right now, put it in the past, and just enjoy the present and the wonderful movie I'm going to make you watch." She was glad to see his eyes soften at her words.

"Fine by me, no more talk about our jobs or the future," he agreed, relaxing his shoulders and sipping his beer. "So what will you be educating me about with tonight's movie?"

Felicity grinned as she hit play on the DVD remote. "I figured it was about time you learned what or who passes for superheroes right now."

He frowned. "Superheroes? I thought you said this was a classic movie."

"Don't knock it till you've seen it, Oliver," she replied, amusement in her voice. "Besides, it's only one of the highest grossing films of all time and honestly, I think you'll like the humor." Her grin widened. "Not to mention I suspect you're going to find one character more than a little familiar."

Oliver swallowed hard, wondering what she meant. He wasn't sure about this, but he trusted her, and he had to admit, it would be interesting to see what kinds of superheroes were taking over the imagination. Maybe it would give him some ideas of how to turn the Hood into a more heroic figure. After all, he figured, there couldn't be that many superheroes that listed their main superpower (of sorts) as archery.

More intrigued than he wanted to be, he settled back as the movie began. Almost without thinking, he shifted into a more comfortable position, one that put him a little closer to Felicity who was watching the screen with rapt attention. A brief awareness of her light, clean scent teased his nose but before he could contemplate it too seriously, he tensed when the camera rose to focus on a man watching over what looked to be a secret lab.

Complete with a bow and arrow.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked as Felicity laughed before motioning for him to be quiet. Turning his attention back to the screen he decided this was definitely going be an interesting night.

Felicity had seen The Avengers more times than she could count, and it was no surprise that while loving Iron Man, she'd always been a fan of Hawkeye. Ever more so now that she had a real bow and arrow wielding superhero like figure in her life. But half the fun of watching the movie tonight was to gauge Oliver's reaction. She had a feeling he was going to have some strong opinions on a lot of things and she couldn't wait to hear them.

Not to mention there was something so comforting about watching him get lost in the film. For the first time in months, the stress lines were gone from his forehead. The constant tension in his shoulders had also disappeared and he looked quite at home on her sofa. If nothing else, she was glad she'd given him this moment to completely relax. Taking another sip of her wine, she turned back to the screen. She couldn't wait to see what he thought of Hawkeye's different arrows and technique. She didn't have long to wait.

"Seriously? His form is totally off, there's no way that arrow could have hit his target if he had his arm that low."

Felicity raised an eyebrow as she looked over at his outburst. "You can tell his arm is off from that shot? It's like, two seconds," she argued.

"Trust me, I know what I'm talking about, there's no way half these shots could be any good. At least the Hood has better aim," he said with a satisfied tone in his voice. Felicity's laughter caught his attention. "What are you laughing at? When it comes to bows and arrows, I know what I'm talking about."

Felicity tried to rein in her mirth. "I'm sure you do, but this is a movie Oliver. Not real life. Hawkeye isn't taking out goons in the Glades, I'm sure he can afford to be not quite textbook." She loved the way his eyes flashed as he turned to look at her.

"Still, you should respect the bow and arrow, even in films. It's not a toy," he huffed a bit as he said it, more so to see what kind of reaction it would draw from the woman next to him. He was not disappointed.

"Actually, it is to a lot of people watching. You know sales of bows and arrows, including children's toy versions went up 30 percent after this movie came out." She watched as he scoffed at her factoid.

"A bow is not a toy Felicity, and I bet half the people who bought one haven't touched them. It's not easy to learn to shoot, it took me a month just to be able to draw the bow correctly." For a moment, memories of Shado and a bowl of water came back to him.

Felicity suspected he was having an island moment, and though while curious, didn't want to press. She relaxed as his attention turned back to the movie and she breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she needed was to draw him out of an island induced funk in the middle of this week's 'educational' video.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
Twenty minutes later, he and Felicity were debating if a sledge hammer or an exploding arrow would do more damage. They'd been bantering like this throughout the movie and he was not necessarily surprised to realize that somewhere in the process, Felicity had gravitated closer to him, her body almost, but not quiet, leaning against his. To his surprise, it felt very natural to have her so close. And that, he supposed, was saying something for a man who still had a thing about letting people get too close to him, literally as well as physically.

"Either way, you have to admit that Thor wields his hammer well." Felicity frowned as Oliver scoffed.

"But a hammer is so, I don't know, over the top?" Oliver replied warming to the subject. "It's not like you'll see people wielding hammers out there to stop the bad guys. It's just so impractical, and probably hard to carry around," he finished.

Felicity raised an eyebrow. "So a bow and arrow is something you'll see people carrying around to stop bad guys?" She held up her hand at his look. "Not counting the Hood, I mean. But in every day society? I don't think so," she countered.

Oliver decided to remain quiet, knowing if he kept teasing her, he'd miss the rest of the movie. And he had to admit he was curious to see how this all went down. He was sure he'd have more to say after the movie ended.

A half hour later Thor and Loki had returned to Asgard and Hawkeye was off on another mission. And Oliver, as expected, was just full of comments.

"Seriously, he's considered a superhero? I mean, the Hood could take Hawkeye in a minute, the man has deplorable form and skill," he grumbled, feeling annoyed as she laughed.

"Really, now that's something I'd like to see," she replied, watching his eyes flash. "Even better, if Jeremy Renner took you on with his shirt off, now that I'd pay to see," she finished, mind nearly short circuiting at the images now playing across her brain and thus not filtering her words.

Oliver started at her words, his mind going many different places with the idea that she'd pay to see him without a shirt. Not that it was a surprise as he'd always known she'd enjoyed watching him train bare chested. But, he frowned, apparently that fantasy didn't involve just him.

"Hey, I think one arrow shooting, bare chested man in your life is more than enough," he replied, feeling an irrational spark of jealousy. Besides, not that he was one to brag, but his abs were SO much better.

Felicity wondered if he realized how possessive he sounded. It both annoyed and amused her. So she decided to poke the bear a bit more. "Like shoes, a girl can never have too many ab-tastic men in her life. And if they happened to wield a bow and arrow with style, or have the judo moves like Digg, so much the better," she teased, seeing him bristle.

"But you know what they say about too much of a good thing, don't you Felicity," was his rebuttal, his voice deeper his eyes intense on hers.

Felicity swallowed hard. She really wanted to see what would happen if she challenged him, but a small spark of self-preservation inside her made her reconsider. Taking a deep breath, she tried to keep her tone light. "Never really put much stock in that saying, especially as I heard it too often as a kid," she managed, glad to feel the tension abate.

Oliver hadn't meant to let the moment get so charged, and he was glad Felicity had diffused it.

"So, getting back to our earlier conversation, you never did tell me what the correct way to hold a bow is or at least, what Hawkeye did wrong. His form looked good to me, and he did manage to take out Loki's glider," she mused.

Oliver laughed. "I can't tell you what the proper form is for holding a bow, but if you remind me one night when I'm training, I'll show you," he offered, seeing her eyes widen. His own breath caught a moment at the thought of showing Felicity how to hold a bow. Of standing behind her, whispering instructions in her ear, guiding his hand down her arm to make sure it was positioned just right…

"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep, Oliver," she teased, glad her voice didn't come out in the squeak she was expecting. His words had just added an entirely new fantasy to the many she already had regarding him. All totally inappropriate but very, very difficult to forget. Made even harder by the emotion she could have sworn was in his eyes as he looked down at her.

"Okay, enough talk of overrated superheroes," Oliver knew he had to get this whole conversation on a more neutral track, before he did something he'd regret. "I will give you this, it wasn't a bad movie, Iron Man had some good lines, but I still wouldn't say it's a classic."

Thankful for the reprieve, Felicity forced her thoughts back into the friend zone. "Maybe not in the 'classic' sense, but it's going to be a movie that people keep watching and talking about for years," she returned. "Plus, the fact is, these are the superheroes today's kids are growing up with."

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "On that, we'll just have to agree to disagree, although," his look turned contemplative, "If Hawkeye is as popular with the people as you say, there has to be something I can work with there to get people to see the Hood as more than a vigilante," he mused.

Felicity smiled. "I told you, people like a man wielding a bow and arrow, you just have to work on your people skills," she offered, seeing him grimace. "I don't mean you have to go talk to people in your Hood get up, chances are they'd go running if a man in a hood with green eye paint approached them on a street corner at night, much less carrying said bow and arrow, but there has to be some way of getting people to think of the Hood in more heroic terms Maybe you need to get out a bit more in daylight, with a better costume." She bit her lip. "I'm going to have to think about that," she mused.

Oliver winced as he saw her eyes brighten, a sure sign he'd get an earful of 'ideas' about how to make the Hood more human and heroic this week. He wasn't sure if he should be scared or excited. But, right now, he wanted to get her focused back on their evening and her definition of a classic movie.

"I'll give you this, I liked the movie," he offered, glad to see her eyes refocus on him, "but I think next week I'll have to show you what the definition of a true classic movie is," he finished.

Felicity's gave him a skeptical look, but said nothing.

Oliver frowned. "It's not like I don't know what a classic is, I did watch a lot of movies growing up."

Felicity couldn't help but smile at his earnestness. But that didn't mean she thought he knew what a classic movie was. "I guess I have to ask then, what does the great Oliver Queen consider a classic? Citizen Kane? Casablanca? Ghostbusters?"

"Don't knock the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man, Felicity," he said with a mock frown. It quickly turned into a laugh as he saw her expression. "You'll just have to wait and see. I can keep a secret as well as you."

"Tell me something I don't know," she pouted, trying to keep the amusement off her face. "Oh well, just promise me there won't be any kangaroo's, okay?"

Oliver laughed. "I know, you think they're evil. Trust me, no kangaroos are involved in what I consider a classic movie."

Felicity shouldn't be surprised that he remembered that little piece of information from one of her rambles. But she was, and it was a good feeling.

"Ok, so now that we've established that it's your turn to plan our night next week, there's another important question I have to ask you, and your answer may determine whether we continue this little arrangement."

Oliver wondered if he should be worried. "What?" he asked, trying to gauge her mood as he wondered what she was about to ask.

"Are you a Letterman, Kimmel, or Fallon person?" she asked, her smile telling him she knew she'd made him uncomfortable for a few moments.

Oliver laughed, relief flowing through him. "That question determines the future of my 'education' and our arrangement?"

Felicity nodded. "If we're going to continue to educate you about popular culture and things you missed, I need to know which late night comedian you prefer?"

"What happened to Leno?" He sounded confused.

Felicity groaned. "Oh Oliver, you really do need to get with the program." She sighed and flipped the DVR to where she'd recorded Friday night's Kimmel. "I can see we're going to have to get you up to speed with late night television."

Oliver smiled as she settled back onto the sofa. Some of her hair had come loose from her ponytail and she unconsciously kept pushing it back behind her ear. He wondered that such a small move could fascinate him so much.

"Oliver, you with me?" Felicity felt his gaze on her and self-consciously, she looked down. "Did I spill wine on me or something?"

Oliver mentally berated himself for letting her catch him staring. "You're fine Felicity," he quickly moved on. "So, tell me what I need to know about the late night talk-show world as I really don't want this to be the end of our beautiful friendship." He delivered the line in his best Bogart voice, hoping to relieve some of the tension, a bit wounded when she started laughing.

"Bogey you are not—but that's okay, I won't hold it against you," she teased, settling back down against him, smiling as she could have sworn he muttered something about her not knowing a class act when she saw one. "Oh, be quiet and watch, you have to tell me what you think before we switch over to give you a taste of Fallon."

Oliver went quiet, content for the moment to simply enjoy her presence and the peace he felt sitting here, arguing with her about late night TV. For just a moment, he wondered why he never felt this comfortable with Laurel. Then he pushed the thought of his girlfriend away, determined not to bring her into this arrangement with Felicity. They were just two friends, getting to know each other and getting him comfortable with the five years of society and culture he missed.

He hoped, if he said it enough, he'd start to believe it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
A half hour later, Oliver was mentally debating the merits of Fallon and Kimmel. He could see the appeal of the former's music videos but he liked the latter's dry humor. Even if he was pretty clueless about half the material they were joking about. He was about to turn and ask Felicity what this whole thing involving a "Sharknado" was when he felt her head drop to his shoulder. He went very still, tilting his head to look down at where her body now rested against his side, her eyes shut and her chest moving rhythmically with her breathing.

He couldn't help the feeling of contentment that ran through him as he realized Felicity had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Shifting slightly to make her more comfortable, he moved his arm so that it rested across the back of the sofa as she settled more comfortably against him. To his surprise, it felt nice to have her resting against him, trusting him to keep her safe in her sleep.

Turning his attention back to the screen, trying not to notice how soft her hair felt against his arm, he felt his own eyes begin to close as he tried to focus on what Fallon was saying. But it was no use and a few minutes later, his head dropped back against the sofa as he drifted into sleep, wrapped in the scent of citrus and apples.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Felicity wasn't sure what it was that woke her, but she became aware of two things at once as her mind came back to wakefulness. First, she'd obviously fallen asleep in the middle of Fallon's monologue. Not something she usually did, but she'd had a long week. Second, and perhaps more importantly, Oliver's arm was wrapped around her and her head was resting on his shoulder.

She felt the blush rising even in her sleepy state. She'd fallen asleep on his shoulder. She'd probably drooled as well. Closing her eyes she quickly pulled herself together. Obviously, Oliver hadn't minded as he was asleep at her side, his head thrown back against the sofa. She took the moment to observe him as he slept. He looked so much more relaxed, almost childlike. The tension and worry lines were erased from around his eyes, giving him an look of innocence that no one would associate with Oliver Queen, much less the Hood.

She really hoped she hadn't drooled on him.

Sighing, she gently extracted herself from his side, realizing she had to go to the bathroom in the worst way. She tried not to feel bereft of his warmth as she stumbled to her feet, flipping the TV off a she passed it on her way to the bathroom. Quickly taking care of business, she also took a moment to brush her teeth. Red wine, cookies and popcorn did make for a great feeling in her mouth or great breath. Not that she expected Oliver to smell her breath or anything, but hey, one couldn't take mouth hygiene too seriously.

Get a grip girl, you just fell asleep against your boss, and he apparently didn't mind.

Telling her heart to get itself under control, she moved back towards the sofa, trying to keep quiet. Reaching her destination, she bit her lip, wondering if she should simply just go crawl into her bed. Alone. He'd never have to know he'd embraced her in his sleep. Which was how it should be seeing as the only person he should be falling asleep next to was Laurel.

But, Felicity had never been one to take the easy road. And in her half awake state, she realized she really wanted to fall back asleep against him. Decision made, she settled herself back into her former position, her breath catching as he shifted and his arm immediately wrapped around her shoulder again, puling her against his side. Sighing in contentment, she let her eyes drift shut again.

~*~*~*~*~*~  
Bright sunlight against his eyelids woke Oliver from one of the most peaceful, dream free sleeps he'd had in years. As his body came to awareness, he realized there was a soft weight against his side. And his arm seemed to be comfortably wrapped around said weight. Looking down, he saw a fall of golden hair against his shoulder. He suddenly remembered her falling asleep on him last night. And obviously, he'd fallen asleep as well.

He also noted his arm was around her, holding her to his side. And from the stiffness he felt in his joints, he'd obviously been holding her close most of the night. The thought sent a funny tingle through his body. He hadn't really held anyone while he slept for ages. Not even Laurel, who usually hated cuddling. Normally, he was against cuddling too. But right now, he wouldn't mind keeping Felicity just where she was for a while longer.

But, he realized that he probably should go, as Thea would no doubt have questions for him as to where he was as he was sure she would have noticed he hadn't come in last night. Still, he found himself really wanting to stay.

The pressing need to use the bathroom finally had him moving, gently repositioning Felicity so she was now stretched out on the sofa. She snuffled, shifting positions before burying her head into the pillow, eyes remaining closed. Moving silently towards the bathroom, he took care of things and splashed water on his face. Returning to the living room, feeling more awake, he smiled as he realized she hadn't moved.

Walking into the kitchen, he found a piece of paper and a pen and wrote a quick note, stealing a cookie from the plate on the counter before returning to the living room. Propping the note against the empty popcorn bowl, he turned once more to look at the sleeping figure on the sofa. With a soft smile, he reached for the blanket resting across her armchair and spread it over her prone body, tucking her in as best he could. She sighed, but didn't wake.

Smile turning soft, he couldn't stop himself from leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. With a final long look at her, he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. As he opened it, he turned and looked back at her small figure, sleeping peacefully on the sofa,golden hair fanned out around her. The image, he knew, would stay with him for a long time. Feeling more relaxed than he had in ages, he slipped out the door, pulling it closed behind him.

He smiled as he headed down the hall, resisting the urge to whistle. Felicity had outdone herself with his 'education' into the superhero genre this week, which meant he had a lot to live up to next week when it was his turn to show her what he thought was a 'classic' movie. He couldn't wait to see her reaction. And maybe have her fall asleep on him again. He had a feeling this little arrangement was going to end up educating them both in a lot more than popular culture. And, he realized to his surprise, the thought didn't completely scare him. Which should scare him more than anything. But he couldn't erase the smile that stayed with him all the way back to the mansion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: So, the first 'lesson' is done. Let's see how Oliver tops this next week. Thanks for all your reviews and kudos. They mean so much and I appreciate them!


	6. Dancing Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of an interlude to move things along! Thanks for all your support and feedback, it really feeds the muse!

Felicity moaned in relief as she toed off the high heels she'd had on for the past five hours. Once the shoes were off, the dress she'd been wearing was quick to follow, pooling into a dark blue puddle at her feet. Now clad in a bra and panties, she headed for the dresser, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt featuring the slogan "The Truth is Out There." Slipping into both, she sighed, allowing her mind and body to finally relax.

She hadn't intended to spend Friday night on a date. In fact, she'd planned on curling up with her DVR, some wine, and catching up on the latest episode of "True Blood." She had a thing for Eric, she wasn't too proud to admit. Besides, Oliver had given them all the night off to relax, as they'd had another rough week. The only good part-Oliver's lawyers had managed to stall the takeover attempt, but for how long, no one knew. As for the rest, Felicity simply wanted a night to herself, without having to deal with the depression of the Glades, or the constant teasing from Oliver about what she was in for movie wise on Saturday.

Not that she didn't enjoy the fact that he enjoyed teasing her about it, but he was a man who knew how to keep a secret. And he wasn't much for giving clues. And that frustrated her as she liked to think she had somewhat of an idea of what Oliver considered a 'classic' movie.

Not to mention they'd never mentioned the fact they'd fallen asleep together. Other than the quickly scribbled note he'd left for her, "Thanks for a great lesson, looking forward to the next one. Oliver," he'd not said a word. She hadn't wanted to bring it up either, choosing instead to treasure the memory and not sadistically wonder if it might happen again. All told, it made for a bit more stress than normal at work, and thus, she'd been happy for a night to herself.

But at 3pm she'd received a call from her college friend Chloe who'd informed her that she was passing through town on business that evening with her boyfriend Brady, and her boyfriend's best friend, AJ. And Chloe had thought it would be perfect if Felicity joined her and Brady as AJ's date for the evening to show them Starling City and its night life. She'd tried to beg off, but Chloe, with a few choice words, had made it clear that Felicity would be going with them whether she wanted or not. She knew from experience, when Chloe got into that mood, you didn't argue.

To her surprise, she'd had a pretty good time. AJ turned out to be an attractive, well-spoken man, who also happened to have a thriving career as a Navy lawyer. Plus, it turned out he was a huge Battlestar fan and it had been a joy to talk BSG with him throughout the evening, despite the weird looks and eye rolls Chloe kept giving her. Regardless, she'd had a good time and found AJ very pleasant company. And for about two hours, she'd found her mind occupied with a man other than Oliver.

But the specter of Oliver had returned quickly when Chloe had suggested they go clubbing after dinner. And of course, where did she want to go but the hottest club in Starling City. She'd silently cursed Thea for doing such a good job at reviving the club after the earthquake as it appeared to be even more popular, despite being run by the Queen family. But Chloe was on a mission and so she'd found herself entering Verdant through the front door on the arm of a man who was most definitely not Digg or Oliver. She was pretty sure she wouldn't run into either of the men as both were on dates with their respective girlfriends. She deliberately did not let her mind fixate on images of Laurel and Oliver. Instead, she focused her attention on the attractive, available man on her arm. She was going to have some fun and relax.

What she'd forgotten however was that Thea was working the floor. And that Oliver's sister, who was quite observant when it came to her brother and their company's most respected IT girl, was certain to notice her and her date.

"Felicity, good to see you! And how nice to see you away from that maniacal boss of yours. I'm surprised he let you out of the building."

Felicity had jumped at Thea's amused voice, turning to see the brunette had approached their small group. She couldn't help but smile at the younger Queen's words. "Considering he's your brother, I'm not," she responded as the other woman laughed.

"Still, it's good to see you out having some fun." She smiled as she motioned to the waiter that had been serving them. "Chelsea, drinks are on the house tonight for this group. Seriously, give them anything they want."

Felicity smiled as Chloe's eyes widened and both AJ and Brady looked impressed. She supposed it paid to have an in with the manager. "Thanks Thea, you don't have to do this," she started, but the other woman simply laughed and held up a hand. She looked, Felicity thought, remarkably like her brother in that moment.

"With the amount of time and effort you're giving to the company, rebuilding the Glades, and not to mention the fact that you've stuck behind Oliver and me through all this, it's the least I can do," she replied.

Felicity swallowed around the lump in her throat at the sincerity in Thea's voice. "Well, thank you anyhow," she replied, not a little surprised when Thea reached over and hugged her lightly.

"Now, go enjoy yourself and make sure you do something that would shock my idiot older brother into seeing what he's missing," she whispered before moving off to greet other patrons. Felicity blushed, not sure how to take Thea's remark. But she wasn't going to worry about it now. She was going to enjoy herself with old and new friends. And a bottle of her favorite red. After all, it was on the house.

The rest of the night passed in a blur, albeit a fun filled blur of dancing, drinking and having a good time. She danced with AJ and Brady and even a few strangers who happened to approach. It was actually quite freeing and somewhat liberating and she made a mental note to get Chloe a huge present for her birthday this year. A little later, when Thea and Roy had joined them on the dance floor (Thea stated that it wasn't any fun to run a club if you couldn't enjoy it in the process), chaos ensued. A fun chaos that included Thea and Roy, on a dare from Chloe, trying to reenact the classic final dance of Baby and Johnny from _Dirty Dancing_. She absently noted Roy could, with a bit more training, give Oliver a run for his money in upper arm strength and was seriously considering signing Roy and Thea up for "Dancing with the Stars." She wondered if they'd practiced or just worked naturally together. She made a mental note to ask sometime.

But she'd enjoyed getting to see the couple relax and just interact with each other. She could tell Roy was completely in love with Thea and vice versa. It was nice to see them happy and she hoped that eventually, Oliver would come to accept the younger man's place in his sister's life. And, almost inevitably, his place with Team Arrow.

In addition to having fun, she'd also learned several things about herself throughout the evening. The first, although not too surprising, was that she really couldn't dance, at least not with a partner. AJ had been very diplomatic about her constantly stepping on his feet, but thankfully, they'd spent more time laughing over her uncoordinated moves. The second was that she had more in common than she'd thought with Thea Queen. The two had chatted on and off throughout the night and had even made plans to meet for coffee sometime in the next week. Felicity was pretty sure a lot of the reason for the invitation was to pump her for information on the Hood, as well as her relationship, or lack thereof, with Oliver, but she was pretty confident she could handle whatever Thea dished out. She really liked the youngest Queen, truth be told.

Either way, it was now 2am and she'd just been dropped off by a smiling, slightly inebriated AJ, who had given her a quick kiss on the cheek and a promise to call the next time he was in town. She was pleased that she'd had a good time on a date for what seemed the first time in ages. Not to mention it couldn't hurt to have a Navy lawyer in your corner if you needed one. She had just gotten into bed, slumping and rolling her shoulders to try and ease some of the now tense muscles she'd used for the first time in months, and was reaching to turn out the light when she heard a knock at her window. Frowning, she looked over and somehow, was not surprised to see Oliver slipping through the half open window, decked out in full Hood gear. Her temper flared although she knew it was more from worry than anger.

"Oliver, what are you doing? I thought we agreed no Hood business tonight," she began, stopping as he pushed the hoodie off his head and gave her his patented 'don't-be-mad-at-me-I-couldn't-help-myself' look. She hated that look.

"I got back early from my date with Laurel and as I knew you had plans, I figured I would do a check to see what was going on in the Glades."

Felicity stared at him suspiciously, still upset. "Regardless of the fact that I'm glad you were out patrolling tonight, I wish you'd let me know so I could have at least provided backup. You know I don't like it when you go out on your own without Digg or I to back you up," she said, biting her lip as she gave him a quick once over to make sure there were no visible injuries on his body.

"I'm fine Felicity, I stopped a few drug deals but nothing too awful," he answered, setting his bow down on her dresser before walking over to sit in the chair beside her bed. She wasn't going to think about how comfortable he was making himself. In her bedroom. Absolutely not.

"And to be fair, I did try to call but when you didn't answer your phone, I figured you had other plans." He stopped, looking up to meet her gaze. "Speaking of that, what were you up to tonight? Hot date?"

Felicity's radar went on alert at the too-casual tone of his voice. He was fishing for information, she knew. And she suddenly had a pretty good idea where it came from. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "What did Thea tell you?" She asked wearily, seeing the flash of guilt that came and went over his face at her words. She figured his sister would have told him about seeing her that night, but she hadn't anticipated him showing up at her apartment to ask her about it. At 2 in the morning, nonetheless.

"Not much, just that she was glad to see you out from behind your desk and having fun with some friends." His voice was casual, but there was a hint of something else in it that made Felicity take note. "And by friends you're asking about AJ, the man I was out with, right?" She figured it wouldn't do any good to beat around the bush with him, besides, she was too tired, and buzzed, to deal with this right now.

"Thea said it looked like you were having a good time," he said softly. "I'm glad of that Felicity, you deserve to have a date night," he seemed to stumble over the words in a way that she found curious. "I just wanted to make sure it had gone all right and that this guy hadn't taken advantage of you."

Felicity stared at him, several things suddenly becoming clear. She sighed. "Oliver, I'm flattered you're worried about me, but I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself, you know," she reprimanded him lightly, no real heat in her words.

"I know that Felicity, I just," he trailed off, running a hand over his short hair, obviously searching for words. "I just needed to make sure you were okay, okay?"

She decided to let it drop, realizing he was truly concerned about her. It made her heart twist in that funny way again, and she wondered, once more, why she couldn't seem to get over her feelings for Oliver. She'd been doing so well tonight.

"I appreciate that, but right now, I'd really like to get some sleep," she said gently, seeing him nod at her words. She decided she should at least try and lighten the mood. "Besides, I need my beauty rest so I'm ready for whatever you consider a 'classic movie' tonight," she teased gently, the final words coming out as part of a yawn. She was glad even in her tired haze, to see his smile return.

"I think you'll be surprised," he offered, rising and moving towards the bed. To her surprise, he lifted the covers and motioned for her to get under them. Slightly confused, she did as he beckoned, trying to get her heart to slow as he literally straightened and tucked the covers around her.

Oliver Queen had just tucked her into bed.

She wondered if she were suddenly in an alternate reality. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she barely registered him leaning over, until she felt his lips brush across her forehead. Stunned, her eyes shot to his, only to find him staring down at her with an intense expression she didn't trust herself to name.

"Go to sleep Felicity, I'll see you tonight," he said softly, smiling into her eyes before slipping back across the room, grabbing his bow and leaving the way he'd come, making sure to close the window behind him.

She simply lay there, too stunned to think about more than the feel of his lips on her forehead and the look in his eyes as he'd tucked her in. She finally fell asleep about ten minutes later, the image of his intense stare, and what would have happened if she'd tilted her head upwards, haunting her dreams.

~U~U~U~U~U~U~U~U~U~U~U~

Oliver knew it had been stupid to check in on Felicity. The woman was as fiercely independent as he was and he was more than certain she could handle anything, or any man, that came her way. Plus, he knew she'd probably be upset with him for thinking she couldn't handle herself. But when he'd slipped through Verdant earlier that evening, headed to the basement to don his Hood gear, when he'd seen those familiar blonde locks whirling around on the dance floor, he'd come to an immediate halt. His gaze zeroed in on the tall, handsome man she was dancing with, her face lit up with amusement as he whirled her around, rather clumsily, he thought. Graceful the pair were not, but Felicity had a relaxed expression on her face he hadn't seen much of in the past few months. At least, he hadn't seen it unless she was with him.

He was man enough to acknowledge the bolt of jealousy that shot through his system, although he knew he had no right. She wasn't dating him. He was dating Laurel. Laurel who he'd just left on her doorstep because she'd been complaining about a headache and possible stomach bug. But as he'd watched Felicity on the dance floor, in the arms of another man, he flashed back to the feel of holding her in his arms as she slept. The scent of her hair and the slow pace of her breathing as her chest rose and fell against his side. Flashed to the smiles and laughter she'd given him while teasing him about Hawkeye.

"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in." Thea's voice made him jump and he realized he really must be out of it if she'd been able to sneak up on him. Turning to face her, gathering his thoughts, he smiled. "Just passing through, I needed some files I keep in the basement," he replied, sighing at her look, knowing she was just as good at seeing through his lies as Felicity. He really was going to have to bring her into this, willing or not, sooner rather than later.

"Really? I thought you were out with Laurel." Thea's voice sounded disapproving and he bristled. "She wasn't feeling great so I ended the date early and decided to try and get some work done but realized I needed those files to do it." He wasn't giving her any more than that. It was his business not hers, although she would beg to differ.

"Ok, I'll buy that, although," her voice was amused now, "I am wondering why, if those files are so important, you've been standing here for the last five minutes giving your annoying 'brooding stare' to the dance floor?" Thea's tone set his teeth on edge. "Or would that stare be the result of the fact that a certain blonde IT girl is having a great time out there with a guy that isn't you?"

Oliver hated when his sister was right. However, he didn't have to acknowledge it. "Felicity has a right to go out with whomever she wants. She deserves it after the hell we've put her through in the past few months," he said, his voice softening as he looked at the subject of their conversation, completely oblivious to his presence. That rankled a bit.

"You really are an idiot," Thea said with a sigh and a shrug of her shoulders. "Your loss," she said, patting him on the shoulder. "Good luck finding those papers," she finished as she headed back into the crowd.

Oliver decided he really need to go shoot some arrows into people now. Between Thea's words, and Felicity's smile aimed at someone other than him, he needed to do something to work out the aggression he felt building. After he'd dispatched with several drug dealers, he found himself perched on top of a building, observing, for the moment, a peaceful Glades. And his mind had finally returned to the topic he'd been avoiding the past few hours.

Felicity Smoak on a date. With someone he didn't know. Someone that wasn't him.

That the last, extremely possessive thought didn't startle him as much as it should, worried him. Not wanting to examine it further at the moment, he focused on what might be happening to Felicity as the evening ended. Maybe her date wouldn't take no for an answer. Maybe he'd slipped her something in her drink. After all, what did she know about this guy? She hadn't talked about a date, or seeing anyone, so it must have been a spur of the moment thing. He'd been tempted to ask Thea for the guy's name so he could run a background check, but thought better of it. The best way to make sure Felicity was okay was to ask her himself. After all, it was his duty, as her friend, to check on her, wasn't it?

With that in mind, he'd slipped across town towards her apartment building. Making sure no one was around, he'd climbed the fire escape and settled down outside her bedroom window once he realized she wasn't home yet. He figured it had to be near 2, and suddenly, he wondered if she might have gone home with her date. Or even worse, what if she brought him back to her apartment?

At that thought, he took note of where he was and what he was doing. Waiting on Felicity's fire escape for her to return from a date. Thinking about running recon on her date. Talk about stalking. And actions completely unbecoming for a friend. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew he should probably just leave and find a way to question her about her date and her night when he saw her that evening for their movie night. Besides, if she found him out here, there might not be a movie night.

He was just about to turn and leave when he saw a light in the living room go on. Sighing, he turned back, watching as a few moments later she entered her room, immediately kicking off her high heels. His heart slowed a bit to see she was alone. It sped back up again as upon closer examination, he realized the blue dress she wore clung to her figure and showed off the fact that she was an extremely beautiful woman. As he watched her hand go for the zipper of said dress, he pulled back sharply, realizing he was in danger of becoming a voyeur as well as a stalker. Not that he wasn't tempted, but there were some lines a friend didn't cross. Much as he might want to.

These inner ramblings and questions were going to be the death of him. What had happened to the sane, rational, competent man he'd been a few weeks ago? The man who could look forward to seeing Felicity every day, but wouldn't dream of staking out her apartment to make sure she arrived home safe from a date? He really hated feeling so confused. Which was why he was going to follow through on his plan to leave, when he saw the slump of her shoulders as she settled onto the bed. He wondered, suddenly, if things hadn't gone well after he'd seen them at the club. The sudden overprotectiveness he felt was enough to overcome his fear of what she might think, and before he could stop himself, he was knocking gently at her window.

By the time she noticed him, he was already climbing in. Once through, he straightened up and tried to gauge the expression on her face. To his surprise, there was worry there. And as she immediately started berating him for going out on Hood business, he realized she was worried for him, not mad at him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he set his bow down and walked over to sit in the chair next to her bed. He didn't even think to question if she'd protest.

As he tried to ask her about her date, casually, he thought, he saw her eyes flash for a moment and braced for the impact. However, she'd simply reminded him she was a big girl and could take care of herself. Of course, she didn't give him any details of her date, except that his name was AJ. He really didn't like that name. He'd perked up however when she'd mentioned needing sleep for their movie that night. Something in his heart shifted as he noticed she was smiling at him, albeit half asleep, and seemed excited about their evening. It made him suddenly feel lighter as he'd promised her she'd be surprised.

He hadn't realized he was moving towards her bed until he was tucking the covers in around her. He had no clue what made him do that, he hadn't tucked anyone into bed, probably ever. What made him do so now was something he really didn't want to think about. Even more so, why he'd leaned over and brushed a kiss across her forehead. Her adorably startled expression made him wish he'd aimed a little lower.

And that's when he knew he had to get out of there. Giving her a smile and telling her to go to sleep, he picked up his bow and slipped out the window, trying not to linger on the feel of her soft skin against his lips. While he wasn't sure why he'd done it, he knew that he didn't regret it. He only hoped it wouldn't make things awkward tonight, although knowing Felicity, she was as good as he was about ignoring things best left unsaid between them.

What he did realize was that he was going to have to stop and have a serious conversation with himself about these conflicting feelings he was having for a woman who was not his girlfriend. It was a conversation he wasn't looking forward to and he hoped could be put off for the time being. Instead, he was going to concentrate on making the most of their movie night—and showing Felicity what he considered a true 'classic' movie. He was positive she'd enjoy it more than dancing with that moron AJ. He suddenly felt better than he had all night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, just a little bit to get us through to Oliver's 'classic movie night.' Hopefully, you'll enjoy! Again, thoughts and comments are welcome and feed my muse!


	7. Movie Night (Part II)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver's turn for movie night!

Felicity took a deep breath as she approached the front doors to the Queen mansion. If she were honest, she had to admit she was a little intimidated. She'd never been here before and it made quite an imposing first impression. Somehow, it looked less stately in pictures. And she was entering it tonight not as a Queen employee, but as Oliver's friend. Talk about intimidating.

At first, she'd been nervous when he'd suggested she come there. But when she'd mentioned her fear of drawing questions from anyone that might be around, he'd assured her that Thea spent her weekends at Roy's place and with Walter in London and Moira in jail, it would just be the two of them.

Hearing that, she'd felt better, although knowing their luck, Thea would walk in and there would be a lot of explaining to do. Not that she thought Thea would be upset, last night's conversation at the club pretty much determined she'd probably be happy, but it would still bring up questions about why she was there. But once again, she was borrowing trouble. Tonight, she was simply going to enjoy seeing what Oliver had planned…and definitely NOT bring up his early morning visit.

She'd been trying not to think too much about why he'd decided to visit her in the wee hours of the morning to question her about her date. It was definitely not something friends did, at least not at 2 in the morning. A phone call maybe, but climbing in her window, not normal. She knew it was probably because he was concerned for her safety as he'd been that way since the earthquake. And she was pretty sure Thea had said something to him before he'd confirmed it. However, she couldn't bring herself to actually believe he might have been jealous, much as she wanted to.

It was only when she'd realized she'd lost half her Saturday to thinking about a situation she knew she wouldn't be able to successfully rationalize, that she'd vowed to put it out of her mind for the time being. She had a lot of things to do if she were going to be able to relax for tonight's 'educational' activities.

She found herself then wondering what Oliver had planned. This education was apparently going both ways and she was excited to see what his choice of a classic movie revealed about him. She had some ideas of what he might consider a classic, and only hoped it didn't involve mobsters or gunmen. But either way, it was another evening with Oliver and she would enjoy whatever it brought.

If she'd dressed with a bit more care than for a typical 'movie watching night' in comfortable yet fitted jeans and an emerald green sweater, complete with green and white ballet flats, she only told herself it was because it was what was clean as she hadn't done laundry for the week yet. Besides, the outfit was comfortable. And it was only appropriate that she'd left her hair down because it was a bit cooler outside.

Knowing she'd stalled enough, she reached the door and rang the doorbell. She could hear the sound echoing through the halls and she took a moment to look up again at the towering building. It really was a castle, turrets and all. She wondered how many rooms it had and if there were actually a butler or a housekeeper and a slew of maids to keep the place running. Her mind pictured a stately butler answering the door, his tone clipped, maybe British as he showed her in. Which was why the petite woman in her 50s with silver-gray hair that opened the door with a smile made her start. And realize she'd perhaps watched too much "Downton Abbey."

"You must be Felicity, welcome, I'm Raisa," the woman offered in a gentle voice her smile easing Felicity's nerves.

"Hi," she offered, surprised to find the housekeeper there. Oliver had said no one would be around, but he'd obviously not considered staff anyone. But, she'd heard about this woman now and then from Oliver and she knew he trusted her. So she would too.

She followed Raisa inside, trying to push down the overwhelming feeling she got looking up at the main foyer and realizing just how big the place was. The laugh from the woman next to her suddenly caught her attention.

"It's actually smaller than it looks from the outside," Raisa offered and Felicity couldn't help but smile.

"Am I that obvious?"

Raisa nodded. "But it's okay as most people have that reaction when they step inside. Once you get to know it, and the people in it," she paused, her smile softening, "it really doesn't seem that big at all."

Then and there, Felicity decided she really liked the woman. And there was a good chance she had some interesting stories about Oliver as a child that she could use as potential leverage when needed. If for nothing more than to tease him.

"So, you've been with the Queens for a long time?" She asked as Raisa nodded.

"Since Oliver was a baby," her voice was soft. "He was a good boy, but had a nose for trouble, he was always getting into something," she said as Felicity laughed.

"Doesn't seem like he's changed much," she mused. "So, any good stories that I can tease him about in the future," she asked as the older woman laughed.

"Don't answer that, Raisa."

Felicity started at the sound of his voice behind her, but quickly gathered herself and turned to face him. She couldn't help the way her heart skipped its usual few beats at seeing him in jeans and a black sweater that outlined his perfectly muscled chest. It wasn't as pleasant a view as him completely shirtless, but it was still enough to take her breath away.

Oliver, for his part, tried to control his intake of breath as she smiled at him. He wondered if she realized that the shade of green she wore was almost the same as his Hood gear. He was probably reading too much into it however and as he heard Raisa's words, he drew himself back to the present.

"Don't worry Oliver, your secrets are safe with me," Raisa answered, smiling to herself as she watched the way the two young people were looking at each other. Felicity turned to the older woman again, wondering, just for a moment, if she suspected what her employer did most evenings. Something told her it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

"Good to know," Oliver replied, deciding it was time to get things moving for the evening. Raisa, he knew, saw much more than he'd like at times. But she was one of the few people that knew him well enough to notice. And he hadn't missed the contemplative looks she was giving Felicity. He had a feeling he'd be hearing about this later. But now, he simply wanted to get the night started. "Thanks Raisa, I appreciate it."

The housekeeper smiled. "I'm off for the night, be good," she said, winking at him before turning to Felicity. "It was a pleasure meeting you Felicity," she offered before turning and walking down the hall, a knowing smile on her face.

"I like her," Felicity offered when she'd disappeared around the corner. She looked up at Oliver who had a soft smile on his face.

"She's one in a million," he replied. Focusing back on her then, he motioned for her to follow him through a set of double doors to her left. "But, now, I think it's about time you realize what a classic movie is," he teased.

Felicity's eyes widened as she entered what was obviously a home theater room. Several comfortable couches and loveseats lined two levels, facing what must have been a 60 inch screen. It filled most of one wall and dominated the room. She was pretty sure it had surround sound as well, as it would be a crime not to for a room this big.

"Well, this definitely tops my couch," she managed, settling onto one of the loveseats. She closed her eyes as she sank back into the cushions. Real movie theater seats had never been this comfortable.

"I don't know, I kind of like your couch," Oliver said with a smile as he turned and walked over to what looked like a wall of electronic equipment. "But, for the movie we're watching, I think you'll admit this is the perfect atmosphere to appreciate what makes it a classic."

She opened her eyes again, curiosity aroused. Before she could say anything though, her eyes fell to what was on the table in front of her. Her eyes widened. "You bought a 4 pound bag of gummy bears?" She couldn't help but reach out and take a handful. How had he known that gummy bears were her favorite candy of choice to go with popcorn?

"You have a bag of them stashed in your desk, and another two in your kitchen cabinet, it wasn't hard to figure out they're your favorites." He grinned as she looked at him in astonishment, obviously not realizing she'd said the last sentence aloud. Still, he had to admit, it felt good to make her happy with something so simple.

Felicity shouldn't have been surprised. Oliver noticed everything, whether he admitted it or not. Although she did wonder when he'd seen what was in her kitchen cabinets. Still, it made her feel warm inside that he'd thought enough about it to stock up on her favorite candy. And along with, she noted as she munched on a handful, perfectly buttered and salted popcorn. With a sigh, she relaxed back into her seat. A girl could get used to this.

"Okay, you've successfully impressed me with your home theater and movie snacks, now let's see if you can do so with your definition of a classic movie." She enjoyed his laughter as he punched several buttons. The lights went off as the movie began and she tried not to read too much into the fact that he came to settle himself on the loveseat next to her. There was hardly any room between them and she could feel the heat of his body as he settled his arm across the back of the loveseat. If this weren't Oliver, she might have thought he was using a classic 'date move.'

Her distraction with his arm position was suddenly replaced by surprise as the familiar black background with green lettering appeared on the screen. Her eyes widened as familiar theme music suddenly filled the room, complete in all its surround sound glory. A huge smile broke over her face and she couldn't help but let out an amazed laugh.

"Oliver Queen, you're a Star Wars fan?" She turned to look at him, noticing a look of relief on his face as he took in her expression.

Oliver smiled, delighted to see he hadn't chosen wrong. "Have been since my father first took Thea and me to see "A New Hope" at one of those movie-in-the-park screenings when we were kids." His smile softened at the memory.

Felicity smiled herself at the image of young Oliver and Thea captivated by the saga in a 'galaxy far far away.' And, she couldn't argue with him, this was most definitely a 'classic' movie.

"Glad you agree," he replied, and she realized she really better get a handle on what was escaping her mouth. She really didn't want to know what else she might reveal.

"How can I not? I mean, plenty of my dreams were filled with Han Solo as a kid," she mused. "He was my imaginary boyfriend for most of elementary school, which made me kind of uncool as everyone else was crushing on someone in a boy band. Then I saw Ewan McGregor in the prequels, which by the way weren't anywhere near as good as the original trilogy, and I became an Obi-Wan fan. No one should be as gorgeous as Ewan MacGregor. Although Channing Tatum might have better abs. But he can't sing as well as Ewan."

Oliver hid his laughter at her rambling. As always, he loved seeing this relaxed side of her. He'd had a pretty good suspicion she'd be a Star Wars fan, what with the other science fiction elements he'd observed in her life, but he hadn't been sure until now. Although this fascination she seemed to have with abs was intriguing.

Felicity shut up as she realized she'd been rambling, Oliver's amused glance telling her more than words could. With a sigh, she smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, you know once I get going on something, and I'm very opinionated when it comes to these movies. And don't even get me started on number seven."

"Seven? They're making another one?" Oliver frowned.

"Yep, Disney bought Lucasfilm last year and seven is supposed to come out next year," she replied, realizing he couldn't have known that. She watched as he contemplated the thought and she was pretty sure she knew he was wondering about the plot. She had a lot of questions herself.

"Interesting, although I'm not sure what they're actually going to do for a seventh movie," he mused.

Felicity grinned, grabbing a handful of gummy bears and a handful of popcorn and settling back into the loveseat, unconsciously, maybe, leaning her head back so it rested against Oliver's outstretched arm. "We can discuss that after we watch. I have some thoughts," she returned, turning her attention back to the movie and trying not on focus on how close he was to her.

"Of course you do, and I can't wait to hear them," he replied, wondering if he should just put his arm around her, in a completely friendly way of course. Her hair tickled his arm where it brushed against his skin, sending not unwelcome tingles through his body. He knew he should move his arm but something inside him resisted. Trying to concentrate on the movie, he settled back into a more comfortable position that also allowed him to register the emotions that crossed her face as she watched. He had a feeling he was going to enjoy this.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

An hour later, the two were happily discussing the merits of falling into an abyss or a garbage shoot as Han, Leia, Chewie and Luke tried to escape the fast shrinking walls. Felicity was happy to find he was just as opinionated about things in the film as she was and she was enjoying debating him on the merits of Han verses Luke and occasionally Leia in some scenes. Seeing him this relaxed and happy, as always, made her heart ache a little more for the years he'd lost on the island.

Not to mention the fact that somehow, during their banter, Oliver's arm had come to rest on her shoulders and she'd turned slightly into his body. She wasn't quite pressed against him, but she was leaning on him. It was a nice feeling but she warned herself not to read too much into it. He probably hadn't even noticed.

Oliver for his part, enjoyed the fact that Felicity challenged him on different things, if for nothing more than the way her eyes lit up when she was passionate about something. Not to mention she hadn't seemed uncomfortable when his hand had ended up her shoulder. She wasn't quite pressed fully against him, but her weight against his side felt good. He knew this was probably inappropriate but once more, he chose to ignore that, the image of Felicity in that other man's arms from yesterday still in the forefront of his mind. Instinctively, he tightened his arm around her, pretending to ignore her indrawn breath.

Felicity tried to bring her attention back to the movie and not on the fact that she was, now, resting fully against Oliver's side. Her brain was trying to figure out what was going on and getting nothing but confused. Thankfully, something on screen caught her attention and made her laugh.

"What's so funny? Oliver asked as he felt her body shaking next to him. He tried not to notice the way she seemed to fit perfectly against his side.

"Oliver, look at the scene. Remind you of anything?" She bit her lip, trying to stop her laughter as she saw him focus on the screen, a puzzled expression on his face. The laugh broke free as he finally caught on.

"Well," he said dryly, "at least there weren't Stormtroopers shooting at us across that elevator shaft."

Felicity smiled. "No, just a very nervous IT girl who didn't know she was afraid of heights and who probably drove you crazy with her nervous ramblings." She trailed off as she saw something darken in his eyes.

"Actually, I remember quite clearly what you 'rambled,'" he said before he could think better of it. He waited as her eyes registered what he was talking about and smiled at the blush that crept over her cheeks.

Felicity knew she was blushing as she remembered her response to his 'hold on tight' comment. Now she wasn't sure how to respond. Especially as he was, for all intents and purposes, holding her against him on the loveseat.

"Well, at least you aren't my brother. Not that I have a brother. And not that I want you to think of me as a sister. After all, I'm probably more annoying than Thea at times when I get on you about your Hood activities. And you really have more of the Han vibe than Luke. I always wondered what that scene would have been like if it had been Han and Leia-"

She was rambling again. Sighing, she bit her lip. "Shutting up now, sorry," she managed, trying to figure out the expression Oliver now wore. What had she said?

The only part of what she'd said that registered was when she'd told him she didn't want him to think of her as a sister. Oliver swallowed hard, most certain that that was the last way he'd ever think about the woman curled up next to him. This was once more getting into dangerous territory. Which meant, much as he didn't want to, he probably should change the subject.

"Actually, Han Solo was my idol as a child," he offered, as she looked at him, genuinely curious. "But while I was on the island, in some of my less lucid moments, I thought a lot about Luke, training to be a Jedi with Yoda and all the experiences he had to survive in the swamp." He swallowed hard, remembering just what he'd had to do to survive. He was barely aware that Felicity had reached over his lap to grasp his free hand until he felt her fingers entwine with his.

Felicity swallowed around the lump in her throat as she watched him remember another island experience. Her heart ached for what he'd gone through, but once more she found herself amazed at the man he'd become. She didn't care about proper anymore, she just wanted him to know he wasn't alone. Which was why she reached across his lap to take his hand, smiling at him in reassurance as he linked their fingers and held on tightly. She remained silent, letting him gather his thoughts.

"I even had a," he paused for a moment, "I had Slade, who got me to face reality and trained me," he mused, not even aware of what he was really saying. "He was a lot more like Han, now that I think about it, but I wouldn't have made it if he hadn't taught me what I needed to know to survive."

Felicity listened in silence, surprised that he was telling her this. She'd never once heard him mention this Slade, and she was fascinated by his words. She bit her lip to stop from asking questions, knowing it wasn't what he needed now. The movie had obviously triggered something in him he hadn't expected and as long as he wanted to talk, she wouldn't stop him.

"Slade and I, we made quite a team," he finished, coming back to himself and the realization that he'd just told Felicity something he'd never told anyone. He wondered if he should feel self-conscious, but one look at the expression on her face as she listened, and the way her thumb was softly stroking over his hand, told him he'd been right to tell her. He wasn't ready to talk about what had happened near the end, but it was obvious she would listen if he wanted.

"I'm glad you had someone with you on the island, Oliver," Felicity said, choking back the lump in her throat as she imagined what it must have been like. She wanted to know more, how they'd survived, what this Slade was like, and what had happened. But she knew he wasn't ready to reveal that yet, and the fact he'd told her any of it made her confident that one day, when he was ready, he'd tell her everything. She only hoped she was strong enough to handle it.

Oliver gave her a grateful glance, knowing she wanted to ask more, but realizing he wasn't ready. If it had been Laurel, she'd be pushing for answers and asking questions regardless of his feelings. In fact, she had, several times. Which was probably why he'd never told her. With Felicity, it was different.

In that moment, something inside him shifted. In his thoughts, his priorities, in his life in general. He wasn't sure what it was, but something had changed. And it scared him to think about it too much, especially with her warm body curled up next to him. Which was why he needed to get them both focused back on the movie.

"Okay, enough about my fixation with Han Solo and Luke Skywalker," he offered, glad his voice was steady, reading the acceptance of what he was doing in her eyes. "Let's keep watching and when we're done, you can tell me all about how you became a champion of the Force."

Felicity was fully aware he was changing the subject, and let him. It was getting too intense and headed places she wasn't sure either of them was ready to go. So she smiled, nodded, and turned her attention back to the screen.

Neither noticed that their hands remained linked, Felicity's arm across his waist, his around her shoulder, for the rest of the movie.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"You can't tell me they're going to make a seventh movie that focuses on these characters, aren't they, not to mention the actors, all too old?"

Felicity nodded as the credits rolled. "That's what most people said, but apparently all three have agreed to return, although I think it would have to be based more around their kids. Besides, I heard that Ford would only agree to return if they killed off Han in the movie."

"Yeah, I can see that going over well," Oliver stated dryly. It was only as he moved to stretch that he realized he still held Felicity's hand. It was obvious she'd just registered this too as she quickly pulled her hand back, the familiar blush rising in her cheeks as she almost jumped up from the loveseat, turning the move into a stretch. He immediately missed the warmth of her against him, much like he had last week when she'd fallen asleep against him.

Felicity was mortified to realize they'd been holding hands the last half of the movie. She'd simply been so comfortable with him, after their bonding moment about his island experiences, she hadn't really thought about letting go of his hand. As she felt him reach to stretch, and register their position, she immediately pulled her hand from his and jumped up, reaching over her head to stretch her arms, hoping he wouldn't say anything. But she missed his warmth more than she knew she had a right to.

Oliver didn't want the rest of the evening to be awkward, so he too rose and walked over to flip the DVD player off and switch the settings back to the regular TV. As he turned back, he noticed Felicity had resettled on the loveseat, although she was keeping to her side. He wanted to laugh at the look she wore but he didn't, not wanting to complicate things even more.

"So, now that I know you do have some taste in classic movies, this makes my education of your missed years even more interesting," she offered, hoping to get them back to the teasing banter they usually kept up. She was grateful to see him smile and his shoulders relax as he returned to the loveseat. She noticed he too was attempting to stay on his side, although again, there was hardly any space between them. She took a little comfort in knowing that even if he might not choose to acknowledge it, he was aware of the undercurrents.

"Should I be worried?" He asked, glad to see her shoulders relax as she settled into their usual banter. Much as he missed her warmth against his side, he knew they needed to get things back to normal. Or as normal as they would ever be between them.

"I don't know, I have a few ideas but nothing clear yet. But I can tell you this opens up a world of new possibilities," she replied, seeing the curiosity mixed with wariness in his eyes. Good. It was nice to know she still had that element of surprise.

"So, since it's the weekend, what are we watching for late night TV?" He reached for the remote, only to have Felicity grab it from him.

"Well, it's about 11:30 and I bet there's some really stupid movie on SyFy," she grinned as she found the channel she wanted. Settling back into the loveseat, careful to keep to her side, she smiled at Oliver. "Don't think less of me, but sometimes, I spend my Saturday nights with SyFy and these absolutely cheesy, stupid movies that usually have titles better than the entire two hours of the movie."

Oliver nodded, something registering in his mind. "Would one of those movies happen to be something called "Sharknado?" It apparently made the late night comedy rounds last week."

Felicity laughed. "Yes. As the tagline says: "Sharks. Tornado. 'Nough said." It truly was one of the most awful movies they've done, but it blew up Twitter."

Oliver frowned. "That's something else you're going to have to explain to me. I seriously don't see the benefit or even really understand what the heck Twitter is," he grumbled. "A phone call or email was always good enough before and I'm just getting used to texting."

Felicity gave him a raised eyebrow. "I can see we're going to have to have a lesson on the power of social media in today's world. In fact," she grinned at him, "I'm surprised Thea hasn't gotten you into it more as apparently she has a very active Twitter feed and she mentions you a lot on it."

Oliver frowned. "My sister has a Twitter account?" He sighed. "Of course she does, that's Speedy, always had to be up on the latest gadgets or phases." Something suddenly occurred to him. "And speaking of that, do I even want to know how you know this? Much less what she says about me on it?"

She laughed at the panic in his voice. "Trust me, it's nothing that would upset you, at least, not too much," she managed, moving on quickly as he tried to interrupt. "As for how I know this, I'm not exactly proud to admit it, but once we started working together, I started monitoring the social media accounts of anyone close to you. Just to make sure nothing that could connect Oliver and the Hood appeared. And aside from a few overzealous posts by Roy, nothing so far has-"

"Wait, Roy has a Twitter account? And he posts about me?" Oliver was suddenly feeling a headache coming on.

Felicity bit her lip. She hadn't meant to open this can of worms and now she had to figure a way out of it without ruining the mood of the evening. "He posts about the Hood, but so far, he doesn't have much to go on and it's nothing that could connect back to you. He posts a lot about Thea though," she finished, stopping as his eyes hardened. Oh boy, this entire conversation was one big minefield.

"Regardless, all is well and I promise, one of these nights I'll bring you up to speed, maybe I'll even open a Twitter for you." She grinned at the look of horror on his face. "Oh come on, you can't think that Oliver Queen's tweets wouldn't make the news. Especially if they're in relation to the company-" She trailed off as her mind suddenly sprang to life with ideas.

"You know, maybe that's not such a bad idea. Oliver Queen has a Twitter in which people get to know him and how dedicated he is to rebuilding his company and the Glades. You could send out personal messages, updates, anecdotes, anything that really shows people you are trying to connect with them and change attitudes about the Queen name-"

"Felicity." He kept his amusement hidden as he watched her mind work, the words almost falling in a stream of conscious from her mouth. When she stopped he allowed himself to smile. "As much as I hate that idea, I can't deny it has merit. Let's revisit it sometime this week."

Felicity nodded. "I'm making a mental note," she offered, filing the information away to deal with later that week. "You know, I bet the Hood could start a Twitter-"

"Enough!" The amusement in his voice was tempered with steel now. "The Hood will most definitely not be starting a Twitter-"

"But think of it Oliver, you can ask people what they think the Hood should be called." She was warming to the idea. "You could take the name the most people Tweet and it would really make you a more heroic, relatable to the people type figure."

"No." He waited until the pout left her features. "While I'm all for your teaching me about social media, let's take it one step at a time." He relaxed as she nodded, although he knew she wanted to say more.

"Sorry, got carried away there," she managed, biting back the ideas now flowing through her mind. Turning back to the TV, she sighed. "At least this movie isn't about sharks, although I promise, I'll educate you on Sharknado at some point," she continued.

Oliver focused back on the screen, frowning as he noticed what appeared to be a mixture of a crocodile and a dinosaur attack a group of teenagers. "What in the world is that?"

Felicity grinned. "Welcome to the world of "DinoCrock." Trust me, it's better than "Mansquito." That was just awful."

Oliver winced at the names, knowing he really didn't want to know. Still, he had to admit, the creature mash up was an interesting one. With a smile, he settled back to watch the rest. Within ten minutes however, his eyes were heavy and within fifteen minutes, her presence warm and steady beside him, he'd drifted off to sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A slight snore was what first alerted Felicity that Oliver had fallen asleep. Turning to look at him, she saw his eyes were closed and his face relaxed. His arm was once more across the back of the loveseat, but he hadn't put it back around her. She tried to push down the disappointment but she knew it was for the best. Still, it didn't stop her from wishing.

He really did look so much more innocent in his sleep. And this time, being more awake, she could take the time to notice the way his entire body relaxed, no sign of the tension he usually bore like a second skin. And the fact that he snored. It was, she realized, very human, very normal. Something she found it hard to associate with Oliver at times.

It also served to make her realize just how much she wished she could settle herself against him and fall asleep, much as she had last week. But she knew that was tempting fate and honestly, she didn't know if she could handle it if he rejected her. Well, she knew she would handle it, but it wouldn't be pretty.

Besides, things were changing between them, she'd be a fool not to admit that she'd seen the signs, felt them in his actions over the past few weeks, if not months. However, while she might be ready to call him on this, it was apparent he wasn't. But, since she couldn't make Oliver do anything he didn't want she knew she'd have to have patience and see where this led.

Because she knew, without a doubt, after tonight, and after last night's visit, Oliver felt more for her than just friendship. How much more, or what, or if it was even comparable to his love for Laurel was the question.

But it was a question she wasn't destined to get an answer to tonight. With a sigh, she rose from the loveseat, looking around for a blanket. Finding one on the sofa behind her, she carefully covered him up, unable to resist the urge to lean down and brush a kiss across his forehead, much as he'd done to her the night before.

Moving back, she reached for her purse and pulled out a small pad of sticky notes she carried with her all the time now. They came in handy when ideas struck and it was easier to write than type. Scribbling a short message, she affixed it to the now empty popcorn bowl, before taking a last handful of gummy bears. With one final look at him, she headed for the door, reaching up to flip off the TV manually before slipping from the room.

As she headed back towards the front door, she found herself contemplating the merits of going on with this 'education' she'd promised him. She knew she wanted to continue, even if it was only because she got such fun out of seeing Oliver's reaction to things she took for granted. Plus, he was opening up more to her about the island and she knew this was better than keeping it bottled up inside.

But it was getting harder and harder to resist temptation, especially as she knew Oliver had felt this pull between them too, although neither would acknowledge it. But if they kept this up, they'd have to. And then, she'd truly know where things stood. Part of her dreaded that day. Another part anticipated it.

But for the moment, she would take with her for this next week the feel of being curled up against him, hand clasped in his, as they watched one of her favorite movies which also happened to be one of his. Which also meant, she had to get on the ball with trying to top this for next week. Ideas began brewing again as she slipped out the front door and into her car. She smiled all the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's Oliver's movie...figured he'd have been a fan of Star Wars. Now we'll see what Felicity pulls off for next week! Thanks so much for continuing to read and enjoy this story. And don't hesitate to let me know what you think, I appreciate it!


	8. An Outdoor Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The education continues...but this time, it's moving outdoors!

It had been another hell of a week and he was seriously beginning to wonder if it was worth it at all to save Queen Consolidated. At this point, he wondered if he wouldn't be better simply concentrating on cleaning up the Glades as his alter-ego. That process, if more dangerous, was at least moving along. He didn't know how many more meetings and business dinners he could stand, especially when no progress was being made.

At the same time, when he'd woken up on the sofa Sunday morning, alone, with only Felicity's post-it as his only company, the loss he felt had stunned him. He hadn't realized how much he'd wanted to wake up and find her in his arms again. The ache he felt at not having her there was so painful, it had given him a pretty strong wake up call.

Which meant he'd been seriously considering the state of his relationship with Laurel for the rest of the week. And what he'd come to realize was that it wasn't all that great. Sure, they went out to dinner now and then, but one or other always ended up having to cut the night short, be it Hood business or a case Laurel was working on. Not to mention as he'd tried to get Laurel to talk about anything besides work at dinner the other night, he'd realized they didn't have a lot in common. In fact, he'd realized that she still saw him, in many ways as she always had, the playboy who couldn't be serious about anything.

Which made him seriously consider why he was even dating her. It wasn't as if he hadn't wondered if they'd be better off friends before, especially with Tommy in the mix. If he were honest, he had to admit they were good together. And even though Tommy was in rehab, and Laurel visited him more often than he did, Laurel had still chosen to be with him. Which was probably why his visits to Tommy were so infrequent, as the tension was still there over the girl they both wanted. But Tommy had seemed to accept her choice, from what Oliver was able to tell from his few and far between visits. In her defense, Laurel had chosen him, but now, he wasn't sure why as they'd fallen back into a familiar pattern that he was only now realizing he didn't enjoy.

But there was something that he found hard to let go of when thinking of Laurel, although he wasn't sure what it was. He wasn't even sure if it was love, or gratitude, or simply the idea of what they'd had and the fact she'd given him a second chance. All he knew was that her smile, even her dry humor, didn't make him laugh as much as a Felicity babble could. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he'd actually laughed on a date with Laurel.

All of this weighed heavy on his mind as he drove to Felicity's. It was troubling to him to realize that he might be fooling himself about, well, just about everything in his life. Most importantly, that someone, other than Laurel, might have moved into the empty, damaged spaces of his heart without him even realizing it. For so long, he'd been sure that Laurel, that making things right with Laurel, was what he needed to do. It was what had gotten him through those years on the island.

But now, it was Felicity's face that came to his mind whenever he found himself needing someone to talk to, or laugh with, or simply sit in silent understanding. Felicity's laughter that could cheer him up after a bad day, the touch of her hand that could make a murderous fury calm. The soothing feel of just being in her presence as she typed away at her computers, teased Digg about his slowly progressing relationship with Carly, or tried not to sneak too many glances at his bare chest as he worked out in the foundry.

Then there was the fact that he found himself looking forward to Saturday nights more than he had just about anything in his life. Just being able to relax, unwind and learn more about the fascinating blonde who graced every aspect of his everyday life. Knowing that if he wanted to share something with her, about the island, the business, even his life as the Hood, she would listen and support him, holding back the questions he knew she was desperate to ask. Also knowing that she enjoyed spending time with him, not the millionaire playboy, not the hooded vigilante, but plain old damaged, scarred, Oliver Queen, made something inside him feel alive again. Something no one since he'd been back, had been able to do.

Oliver Queen, despite what some might say, was not a stupid man. He was fully aware of what his thoughts and his feelings were telling him. However, actually admitting to those feelings, making the changes needed to act on them, if he so choose, was frankly, terrifying. If he actually let go of Laurel, of what he'd imagined they could be, would he be able to survive? Could he move forward and into a new, perhaps more fulfilling relationship with Felicity?

Would she even want to try a relationship? After all, she'd seen him go through everything with Laurel and Tommy. Not to mention Helena. And McKenna. He winced as he realized that she'd had a front row seat for most of the relationship failures in his life since he'd been back. What made him think it would be any different with Felicity? Wouldn't he end up disappointing her in the end, as he seemed to do everybody?

Those thoughts were still swirling through his mind as he pulled up to Felicity's building. He knew he'd have to make a decision soon and he was almost sure he knew what it would be. But, until he was absolutely sure, he was going to try and simply enjoy time with the remarkable woman who was showing him that there was more to life than business or shooting arrows through criminals.

Besides, he was intrigued by her instructions for the evening. She'd told him to dress comfortably for walking and the weather. He'd been a bit surprised, but asked no questions. He knew better than to think she'd answer. Which was why he found himself tucking down his turbulent thoughts about the state of the relationships in his life, and concentrating on enjoying whatever she had planned. He knew one thing for certain, it wouldn't disappoint.

He was smiling as he reached the front door and knocked, hearing movement on the other side before it opened to reveal a flustered looking Felicity.

"Oliver, come in, I'll just be a minute," she replied, holding open the door and ushering him inside. "My best friend was going through a crisis and I just spent an hour talking her though it on the phone so I lost track of time. I just need to put my hair up and grab a jacket, then we can go."

Felicity knew she was rambling but Chloe's phone call had made her later than she'd wanted. Not to mention she was trying her best not to notice the picture Oliver made, smiling at her from her living room. He was again wearing jeans, although this time with a dark green sweater that brought out the color of his eyes and a soft brown leather jacket that made him look even more handsome than usual. She was surprised her heart was still beating.

Oliver was doing his own once over, feeling his heart rate speed up at the tight jeans she wore that hugged her figure, the thick, oversize green sweater that brought out the color of her eyes. Her lips were stained with a berry-pink color that emphasized their fullness and she wore her hair loose, falling over her shoulders like a waterfall, exactly the way he liked it.

He told his heart to calm as he watched her grab a rubber band and pull her glorious hair out of her face and into her traditional ponytail. He felt a bit sad she hadn't left it down, although, if they were walking somewhere, it would probably be better up than blowing in her face. He refused to think of how much like a girl that made him sound, watching as she then grabbed a coat from the hall closet. Unable to stop himself from reaching to help her slip it on, giving into the temptation to run his fingers through the hair of her ponytail as he helped her free it from the collar of her jacket. He forced his breathing to remain even at the silky feel of her skin as the move caused him to brush his fingertips across her neck. But he felt the shiver that went through her body at his touch and it took everything in him to not do it again.

Felicity closed her eyes a moment as she felt his warm fingers move against her neck as he helped her with her coat. His touch was so gentle, yet so arousing. She'd never told anyone how sensitive the nape of her neck was. She shivered as she stepped away, knowing it would do no good to start thinking along these lines.

"So, are you ready to broaden your education outside of the movie theater tonight?" she asked suddenly, needing to break the intimacy of the moment they'd just shared.

"I think I can handle whatever you've got planned. And by the way, what exactly is that?"

She turned to smile at him, forcing his emotions back under control. "You'll see, you ready?" she asked as he nodded, holding open the door for her. He waited as she closed and locked it behind him, before gesturing for him to head down the hall.

"So, are you finally going to tell me where we're going?" he asked as they reached his car and he held the door for her as she slipped into the passenger seat.

"You'll see," was all she said as he started the car while she programmed the GPS. He gave her a look but she simply gestured to the GPS. "Follow it and be surprised." Feeling happier than he had all week, he gave her a smile as they drove off into the night.

Felicity sighed as she relaxed against the seat, smiling as she looked over and noticed the relaxed line of Oliver's shoulders. The tension that was usually there seemed to be gone and while the stress lines around his eyes were still there, she knew they'd be gone by the time she was through with him tonight.

"So, from the address you programmed, I'm guessing we're headed to the west side of Starling City? The wharf perhaps?" He was intrigued by her amused glance.

"Your powers of deduction astound me," she said wryly although with humor in her voice. "Yes, we're headed to the wharf." She waited as he tried to process what was awaiting him. After a few moments of silence, she sighed. She'd always been too impatient for her own good. "Okay, there's a street fair and carnival, and I'm going to win you a gigantic stuffed animal," she said with satisfaction, seeing him turn to her with a quizzical expression.

"A street fair? And why would I want a gigantic stuffed animal?" He was truly curious and a little unsure of what she had planned. He was also trying to think of what she thought he might have missed during his time on the island involving a street fair. He'd been to several when he was a child and figured they couldn't have changed that much.

"Trust me, you'll see," she answered as they pulled into the parking lot. "Besides, no one said we just had to limit your education to just movies, did they?" She gave him a grin as he shook his head. She was glad to see he seemed intrigued. She hadn't been sure about this break in their usual tradition, but she'd taken a chance that he was up for something different. And that attending a street fair, at least as an adult, was something he hadn't experienced. At least, not in the way Felicity wanted him to experience it.

Plus, she really wanted to get out of her confined apartment as she didn't know if she could handle another night on the couch next to him without jumping him. After a week of increasingly heated fantasies she'd figured fresh air was the best choice for their Saturday 'date.'

Noting there were plenty of cars around them, she smiled, pretty confident that they could enjoy the evening without too many people recognizing Oliver, which had been another concern about this evening's activities. After all, most of them wouldn't dream that the playboy millionaire would spend time at a simple street fair. And if they did, well, she had a solution to that in her purse.

"Okay, lead on Ms. Smoak, but know that my expectations for this little educational jaunt are now even higher," he teased as he opened the door and helped her out. As he pulled her from the car, he suddenly frowned. "One thing, Felicity, did you happen to consider that if people see me here, it might not be the best thing? The Queen name being what it is you know." He hated having to ask, but it was something he'd just realized as he noticed several people staring at him as he'd helped her from the car.

Felicity laughed as she reached into her purse and pulled out a baseball cap. "Never fear, I came prepared for that possibility." Still grinning, she handed him the cap, pleased that he only sighed before putting it on. "Do I even want to know why you have a Metropolis Sharks baseball cap?"

Felicity just smiled. "I'm full of secrets that if you're lucky, one day you might find out." With that, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the row of tents along the edge of the wharf. "Come on, I'm going to show you how to have some good old fashioned fun tonight Oliver Queen, because I think you've forgotten how," she vowed, pulling him with her as they neared the fair.

Neither realized that they were still holding hands.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oliver was amazed at how good a time he was having as he and Felicity wandered among the small crowd, marveling at the booths filled with strange and unusual jewelry, artwork and other crafts. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before, but somehow, with Felicity at his side, everything seemed brighter, more colorful. And he had to admit, it felt good to be out wandering among a crowd without people recognizing him. At least, not too many, he amended as he was pretty sure a few people had given him an extra-long glance or two. The baseball cap really helped as he was pretty sure no one expected Oliver Queen to be wearing a Metropolis Sharks baseball cap.

As they neared the center of the fair, he suddenly smelled a delicious scent, one that he'd forgotten about for years. "Come on," he said, tugging Felicity with him as he made a beeline for the small booth that touted _Funnel Cakes! Fried Oreos! Deep Fried Snickers!_

Felicity grinned at the eager expression on his face as he pulled her towards the booth. "Something tells me it's not the deep fried candy bar that caught your attention," she teased, seeing his eyes light up as they reached the booth and he ordered a funnel cake for them.

"I can't remember the last time I had one of these, although I really don't know why anyone would want to fry a Snickers bar." He shuddered even as he grabbed some napkins before taking the plate from the smiling vendor. Reaching into his pocket for money, he was surprised to feel Felicity swat his hand away, handing over the money before he could say anything. He frowned, and was about to call her on it when she gave him that adorable smile he couldn't resist. "Don't even think about it. It's my night to educate you, so it's on me," she said, the tone of her voice enough to make him realize arguing was futile.

Felicity grinned, knowing he wanted to say something but wouldn't. She'd meant what she said, this was her night to treat him to some things he'd either forgotten, or perhaps never experienced. She led him over to a bench that overlooked the harbor, pulling him down next to her. Seeing his eager expression, she reached for the funnel cake, unconsciously breaking off a piece and holding it to his lips. She really just wanted to see his expression upon tasting the fried goodness.

She only became aware of how intimate the gesture was when his lips closed around the confection, gently brushing her finger tips as he sucked the morsel from her hands, sending a jolt through her body before she quickly pulled her fingers back. His eyes were dark and she swallowed hard at the expression in them, even as he chewed.

Oliver, for his part, didn't even realize he'd instinctively leaned over to take the bite of food from her fingers until his lips tasted the sweetness of the cake mixed with the taste of her skin. The jolt of that contact was enough to make Oliver draw in a deep breath even as he felt her quickly pull her fingers back. He was not surprised to find he immediately wanted a taste of both again.

"That's actually pretty good," he managed, reaching to break off another piece, this time feeding it to her, holding his breath as her soft lips brushed against his fingers, returning the favor.

Felicity took the bite, trying not to notice how much better it tasted as she caught the slight flavor of Oliver's skin as he, more reluctantly, pulled his fingers back from her lips. Her brain was nearly short circuiting over the electricity she knew was arching between them, surely he couldn't be unaware of it. And it was that thought that brought her mind back to all the reasons she shouldn't be feeling like this.

"So, enjoy that taste of childhood?" She gave him a smile, hoping it would ease the sudden awareness between them. "I remember my Dad taking me to my first fair when I was about 5, I ate so much funnel cake I got sick. Of course, it didn't help that Jake McQuary dared me to ride the Tilt-A-Whirl right after that. His face when I got sick all over him was pretty great. Although, it took me a while to ever want funnel cake again. Or for them to let me back on a Tilt-A-Whirl come to think of it."

Oliver was entranced by the smile on her face as she reminisced about her childhood. Once the intense moment had passed, and he'd gotten his desire under control, he found himself wanting to know more about the girl Felicity had been that had so obviously shaped her into the remarkable woman he was just getting to know. It also made him feel a bit melancholy for the experiences he didn't have in his own childhood.

"Oliver?" Felicity noted he was watching her with a soft expression in his eyes and she told her heart to slow down.

"Sorry, just realizing that I like hearing about your childhood. It must have been nice to be able to be, so normal," he said, his voice turning wistful as he turned to look out over the water.

Felicity bit her lip, choosing her next words carefully. "You can't tell me there wasn't some little girl you enjoyed tormenting on the playground, or dared to do something that you thought she couldn't," she teased gently, glad to see him give her a wry smile.

"Honestly, I didn't spend a lot of time on the playground or at fairs. Boarding school, much less an all male boarding school didn't give a kid a lot of free time. At least, not spent on a playground or tormenting cute little girls with braids or ponytails." He gave her a small smile this time, letting her know it hadn't been all that bad. "Now college, that was a totally different ballgame."

Felicity laughed. She could only imagine what Oliver might have been like. Then again, she probably didn't have to imagine too hard, as she could probably read about his college playboy lifestyle in the newspapers and magazines. In fact, she had. But his younger years, that she was curious about.

"What are you smiling at?" He tried to pretend he was offended at the look she wore, but had to admit, he was curious what she was thinking.

"Just the image of you as a young boy, much less a teenager, I can only imagine what the girls thought of you." She smiled, her mind seeing a younger Oliver. "I know if you'd been in my class I'd have probably had the biggest crush on you. But you wouldn't have noticed geeky little Felicity, the computer nerd and all around know-it-all, as you'd have been the star football player with all the cheerleaders panting at your feet." She stopped, aware of what she'd just said, fighting the blush that she knew was always waiting in the wings.

Oliver, for his part, was trying to picture the teenager Felicity was describing. He found it very hard to imagine he wouldn't have noticed her beauty or her feisty spirit, despite his admittedly shallow outlook on girls back then. He was about to tell her that when she spoke, obviously trying to change the subject.

"Okay, enough about me, instead, let's go find you a huge stuffed animal." She laughed when he looked at her like she was crazy. "Don't knock it till you've tried it. Besides," she grinned as she grabbed his hand and pulled him with her, "I bet you've never had a girl win you a huge stuffed animal at a street fair," she teased.

Oliver found himself laughing, as he so often did when he was with Felicity. "Not that I really want a stuffed animal, but it's definitely something I never had someone win for me, so I guess it'll be a good education…that is if you can actually win something," he teased, loving the offended pout she gave him.

"I'll have you know that being a computer geek also gives some people very good hand-eye coordination. Plus, my dad says I have a pretty mean curveball," she replied, enjoying the amused look he was giving her. She really loved this side of Oliver.

"This I have to see, lead on Felicity," he replied, feeling her determination in the strong grip she had on his hand. He couldn't wait to see where she was leading him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter becomes 2, as it kind of got away from me. But bright side, click through for the next chapter right away!


	9. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity made him a promise...she's going to deliver!

A few minutes later he found himself in the midst of the fairway, vendors calling out to them from every side. He couldn't help but notice how excited Felicity seemed and it made him smile. Not that he thought she could win him an animal, but it was going to be fun watching her try.

"Okay, Oliver, pick out the animal you want and I'll win it for you." She watched as he looked around, hoping he'd at least pick a booth where she stood a chance. But she couldn't back out now. She'd made him a promise. But this could be a case where her bark was louder than her bite.

Oliver wasn't sure what to choose, as he'd never really had a desire for stuffed animals. He supposed he could always give it to Thea, although she'd probably throw it at him. But as he looked around, he suddenly spotted the perfect prize. A huge grin crossed his face as he pulled her with him towards the booth.

Felicity felt her heart sink just a little as she saw the gleeful expression cross his face. Looking around, she tried to figure out what had caught his eye but couldn't see it even as he pulled her along with him. When they stopped in front of a booth with a back wall filled with balloons she grinned.

"Okay, darts, I can do that. I was actually pretty good in college, it's really all about the aim and the velocity. In fact, I was half drunk when I beat Eddie Mainer, the darts champion in college. I think he maybe let me win, because everyone said he had a crush on me, but I don't think I really cared as all I wanted to do was beat him. He did ask me out later that week, so I guess I didn't wound his pride too deeply."

She stopped when she noticed Oliver, and the man behind the counter, were both staring at her. At least Oliver wore an amused expression. She sighed. "Sorry, so, what do you want me to win?" She looked at the prizes and couldn't really see anything that might appeal.

"That." Oliver pointed. Her eyes widened. She blinked. And blinked again. "You can't be serious?" The incredulity in her words made him laugh out loud. "Yes, I can. Besides, I think it's very fitting, don't you?"

Felicity closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Only Oliver. And she had told him she'd win him whatever he wanted. "Okay, give me the darts."

"That's the thing Felicity, you don't use darts for this game."

Her eyes shot wide open as Oliver's words registered. Only then did she notice what the man behind the counter was holding out to her, a grin on his face now. She groaned. "You can't be serious."

"What's wrong? I thought you were so confident of your hand-eye coordination. That's really all it takes." Oliver was loving watching the conflicting expressions cross her face. This had been too good to resist. If he believed in such things, he might have said it was fate.

"Fine. I can do this. After all, a certain someone does it all the time, it can't be that hard, can it?" She muttered to herself, taking a deep breath before giving him a smile. "Okay, here goes nothing." With that, she took the small bow and arrow the man held and attempted to figure out what the hell she was doing. She really didn't want to look like a novice but come on, who ever heard of using a bow and arrow to shoot balloons, at a carnival game nonetheless? Then again, this was Starling City, home of the Hood. It kind of made sense now that she thought about it.

Oliver watched her pull back the arrow, noting her form was entirely wrong, but saying nothing. He was curious to see how she adapted, even though it was just a toy. He couldn't help laughing as her first shot went off to the side and outside the booth.

"Ha, ha, laugh it up," she muttered. Taking a deep breath, adjusting her aim, she shot off the second of her three arrows. This one at least hit the wall of the booth, but completely missed any balloons. She grimaced in frustration as she prepared for her final shot, ignoring Oliver's amused presence behind her. "I can do this. I can. It's all about velocity, I just have to figure out the right angle, and factor in the slight wind ratio-"

"Just relax." Oliver's voice at her ear made her jump. "Trust me, it's not rocket science." Before she could offer a pithy reply, her breath was stolen as he moved behind her and placed his hand on her arm, guiding her into the correct position. He was so close, and he was literally breathing in her ear, his hand warm on hers, his body pressed against her back as he guided her motions. "Just take a deep breath, feel as if the arrow is an extension of your arm. Focus on your target and just…let…go…"

The arrow flew from her grip without her even realizing it, so entranced was she in the feel of him against her and his words against her ear. For a moment, she imagined turning her head, meeting his gaze, which she knew would be dark and intense, and leaning up to capture his lips. So immersed in the fantasy was she that the sound of a balloon popping made her jump. Quickly turning her gaze to the wall, she saw her arrow had popped the balloon in the dead center of the bulls-eye. She squealed in triumph, jumping up and down like a child. "I hit it! I actually hit it!"

Oliver couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, although he was still a little shaken by the intense desire that had coursed through him as he helped her with her aim. He hadn't meant to do it, but seeing her struggling, muttering about velocity and wind, he couldn't stop himself from coming up behind her and whispering instructions to her. The feel of her against him, the scent of her hair, the way she'd sunk back into his chest as she'd let him guide her arm…

He suddenly found himself immersed in a fantasy of what might have happened had he been teaching her how to shoot back in the basement of Verdant. Of how he might have pulled her fully against him, her back to his front, and run his hand down her arm, stroking it lightly as he helped her grip the bow. Feeling her shudder against him, perhaps turn to meet his gaze, longing and desire filling those beautiful orbs until he couldn't stop himself from leaning down and capturing her lips…

"Oliver, I won!" Her enthusiastic voice brought him out of his fantasy and he had to fight back the urge to groan, his body now fully aroused. Focusing back on her, he saw her cheeks were flushed and he knew then, that she'd been imagining too. It sent another bolt of desire through his system and it was only the sound of the man behind the counter clearing his throat that brought him to awareness of where he was.

"That you did, so do I get my prize?" He was glad his voice didn't sound too husky as he watched her point to what she wanted. He grinned as she took it, clutched it in her arms, hugging it tightly before turning and presenting him proudly with the stuffed fox replica of Disney's Robin Hood.

"You going to put it in the 'office'," she stressed the words as she held out the animal, "I think it would go well with the décor. Digg would just love it," she teased as he took the animal and looked at it for a moment.

"Actually, I think you deserve to keep it," he said, giving her a quick wink. "After all, you're the one who shot the bulls-eye to win it, although with my help," he said as she pretended to pout.

"You said you wanted it, it's yours," she said, even as she took it back and looked at it with a smile, clutching it tightly in her arms.

"I say we share custody," he offered, delighted to hear her laugh. "We can work it so he spends weeks in the 'office'," he stressed the word again, "and weekends at your place. Deal?"

"Deal." Felicity smiled as she saw the amusement in his eyes. She had to admit, she was pretty proud she'd won her prize, even though she knew it was only because of Oliver's help. His very sexy, intimate help that she had to admit, had been even better than her fantasies of him teaching her to shoot. But she wasn't going there right now. As much as she wanted to. They still had more of the fair to explore.

"So, what do you want to do next?" She tried not to notice as he grabbed her hand as they began to walk. It was almost an unconscious gesture but one she wasn't going to pull away from. It felt too good. Plus, she was still a bit unsteady from his earlier archery "lesson."

"Honestly, I don't care, it's been so long since I've been to a street fair, it's nice just to wander. Unless you want to try your hand at the ring toss. Robin Hood there could probably use a Marion," he teased, glad to hear her laugh.

"Once was enough, thank you very much. But, since we seemed to get off the subject earlier, tell me more about why you didn't go to more street fairs as a kid. If you were so closed off at boarding school, I can't see you not wanting to get out and explore more when you were home, at least for summers," she said, noting his gaze was contemplative.

Oliver's smile was slightly melancholy. "Honestly, we only went to a few the summer when I was 10 years old. Raisa took us to several as my parents never really had the time, too busy with running the company and socializing." His voice turned wistful. "I remember, one of them was a Greek festival that had the best food, and a really awesome Ferris wheel." His eyes took on a far-off look. "It was my first time on a Ferris wheel, I wanted to ride it so badly, and I remember thinking that from the top, I could see all of the city, and that I could do anything, be anything I wanted, not just what my parents wanted me to be." His voice trailed off. "Of course, then we came down, and Thea wanted to get off, she didn't like heights, and Raisa wouldn't let me go around again on my own. I don't think I've ever forgotten that feeling, much less been able to recapture it."

Felicity choked up a bit at the sadness in his voice. She could clearly picture a young Oliver, thinking that he could be free of everything and everyone, life just beginning, at the top of a Ferris wheel. And even though she remembered her newly discovered fear of heights, she knew exactly what she had to do next. "Come on," she said grabbing his hand and leading him back through the crowd, knowing exactly where she was headed.

"Felicity, where are you taking me?" He was still a bit lost in the melancholy of the memory when he realized where they were headed. His eyes widened as Felicity pulled him into the line that had formed for the Ferris wheel at the heart of the festival.

"I figure it's about time you got to feel that again," she said simply, handing over the money for the tickets to the attendant.

Oliver felt a lump in his throat at the sincerity in her voice. Suddenly though, something occurred to him. "What about your recently discovered fear of heights?" Another thought then hit him. "Have you ever been on a Ferris wheel before?"

Felicity shrugged, feeling only slightly less nervous. "I figure, this time, we're not dangling over 23 feet of elevator shaft and there's a bar holding me in. Definitely less scary," she replied.

Oliver grinned as they were ushered into their seats, making sure the bar was steady and strong across their laps. "Don't worry, you can still hold onto me if you need to," he offered, not surprised to find he really, really hoped she'd take advantage of that.

Felicity knew she couldn't fight the blush that rose on her cheeks as he reminded her of her words that fateful day. Something inside her however, thrilled to the fact he was calling back to it. She debated on whether to reply, but found her breath catching as the ride began to move. She clutched onto the bar a bit tighter, wondering what had made her decide this was a good idea. Yes, it was something Oliver would enjoy, but her, she wasn't so sure of. She really didn't like heights, a fear made worse after their little elevator swinging adventure.

Oliver immediately noticed her reaction and without thinking, wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his side. Once more, he realized how right she felt there. And as he felt her instinctively move closer, he couldn't help but tighten his hold.

Felicity closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling his familiar, steadying scent and the feel of his arms around her, and when she felt confident enough, opened her eyes. To her surprise, it wasn't as bad as she thought. Probably because Oliver's presence against her was distracting her from her fear. And as they reached the top of the wheel, and the ride stopped to let others on, she really allowed herself to look around her, safe in the security of Oliver's arms. Her breath caught, this time at the beauty of the world she saw spread in front of her.

In the distance, the lights of the city were just beginning to come on, the sun nearly at the horizon. From here, the city looked strong and beautiful, and for just a moment, she knew exactly what Oliver had meant. She felt incredibly powerful, as if she could do anything, see anything, from this vantage point. Turning, she looked up at his face. And in that moment, she knew it, whatever this was they were doing on these weekends, was worth it. He looked like he'd just discovered his favorite thing in the world and her heart lightened as she realized she'd been able to invoke that childhood memory.

Oliver, for his part, felt his breath catch as he took in the city. A city he'd spent many nights prowling across, looking for those who were determined to destroy it. He'd nearly let one madman do so, but now, despite the guilt and the failure, he knew, he was doing what he could to rebuild it. And one day, it would happen. His city was strong and resilient and from his position here, on top of the Ferris wheel, looking at it as plain old Oliver Queen instead of the Hood, he felt once more as if he could do anything, be anything, just as he had when he was 10.

And, he realized, it was all because of Felicity.

He turned to look down at her, noting she wore the same almost enthralled expression he had so long ago, and probably did at this moment. Without thinking, he pulled her even closer, letting his chin come to rest on the top of her head, content just to hold her as they stared out over their city. For the first time in months, if not years, he felt completely and utterly at peace.

Felicity sighed. "It's really beautiful, isn't it? Despite all the violence that goes on, there's just something majestic about it. I see why you felt like you could do anything from up here."

Oliver sighed. "I'd forgotten that feeling, until now. Thank you for helping me remember." He smiled against her hair. She sighed, sinking back against him as she continued to take in the view before the wheel started moving. As it jerked to a start, she instinctively clutched onto his arms and he pulled her closer, holding her tightly as the wheel slowly descended towards the ground.

Neither spoke when the ride ended, Oliver simply offering his hand to help her out of the seat and linking their fingers as they moved off into the crowd. They wandered for a little longer, exchanging commentary here and there as they people watched, neither letting go of the others hand. Finally, Felicity looked at her watch, noting it was past 11pm. The fair was beginning to shut down and it was with reluctance that she realized the night was over. She could tell Oliver felt the same as his grip tightened even as he led her through the waning crowd back to the parking lot.

"Thank you, Felicity." His words were soft as he unlocked the car and opened the door for her as her hands were full with the stuffed Robin Hood and her purse. "For what?" She was curious as she couldn't read his expression. "For showing me that life can be simple and that there is still good in the world."

She swallowed hard as he settled her into the seat before closing the door and walking around to the driver's side. She smiled gently at him as he got in and started the car. Without thinking, she reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. "It was my pleasure." Her heart felt lighter at the look he gave her in reply.

Oliver found himself fighting the intense desire to lean over and kiss her. Her eyes were soft, her full lips parted in a smile, her hand still on his, stroking his skin softly. He found himself leaning closer, eyes focused on her lips, noting the way her pupils dilated and her breath seemed to stop. But just before his lips touched hers, she pulled back, a blush heating her cheeks. He almost shot back across the seat himself, only then realizing what he'd almost done. He took a deep breath, unsure of what to say, how to react, or what to do. He could tell Felicity was feeling the same, and noted the way she'd pulled her hand back into her lap. Once more, he missed the feel of her skin against his.

Felicity for her part, was trying to think of something, anything, to say that would break the intensity of the mood. Although her mind was still trying to process the fact that he'd almost kissed her. And if she hadn't had a moment of clarity, to realize what was happening, she probably would have let him. She was in major trouble, but the last thing she wanted to do was let him know it. She had a feeling he was struggling enough himself—and she had to admit, the thought made something in her heart hope. But for now, a change of topic was in order.

"You know, you're really going to have to step it up for next week. After all, what tops me winning you a stuffed Robin Hood?" She hoped he'd respond to her teasing tone, breathing a sigh of relief when he gave her a tight smile, his shoulders slowly relaxing.

"You've given me a lot to think about," he offered, knowing his words could be taken in many ways, seeing the surprise in her eyes as she tried to figure out how he meant them. He only wished he knew how he'd meant them. "But, I'm sure I'm up to the task." He felt the tension ease as he heard her laughter.

The rest of the ride back to her place was filled with idle conversation and the occasional comfortable silence. When he'd parked in front of her building, he found himself instinctively following her to her door, moving into her apartment behind her as she flipped on the lights and put her purse, and the stuffed Robin Hood, down on a chair.

"Want some coffee?" She bit her lip as she turned to address him, not sure if he'd want to stay or was ready to call it a night. She couldn't help but smile as she noticed he'd already shed his coat and was headed for the sofa.

"Sounds good, if you don't mind making it." He smiled at her wave of acknowledgment as he settled into his familiar position on the couch. He knew it had been a close call in the car, and he still couldn't deny the desire that was simmering in him as he heard her moving around in the kitchen. But despite everything, he found himself unwilling to leave just yet. He was tempting fate, he knew, but right now, he really didn't feel like fighting it. A few minutes later she returned with coffee mugs and settled onto the other end of the sofa. She too was keeping her distance and he sighed, realizing that right now, this was how it had to be. But he really disliked it.

Felicity, for her part, wanted nothing more than to snuggle up against his side again, but knew that was pushing things too far. She was surprised he'd come up with her, after their near kiss in the car. But, she wasn't complaining. Now, all she had to do was stop herself from attacking him.

Despite the tension, the two soon settled into yet another bad SyFy movie, bantering back and forth about the cross-species on display, and the horribly bad acting from the B-list stars. When the movie ended, Oliver groaned, stretching as he felt his muscles, tense from sitting for so long. "Well that was certainly, interesting," he offered as Felicity gave a laugh that quickly turned into a yawn. "Not one of their better ones, but hey, I hadn't seen Kevin Sorbo in a while, so there's that," she offered, trying to stifle another yawn unsuccessfully.

"Ok, I'm going to head out and let you get some sleep." Oliver really didn't want to leave, but knew that staying was out of the question. They were both still feeling the effects of their almost kiss. Plus, he didn't trust himself much longer, not with her looking as sexy as she did, hair mussed and eyes soft with sleep.

"You ok driving?" Felicity really didn't want him to go, but knew she couldn't ask him to stay. Even if she was pretty sure she could read that desire in his eyes. But she couldn't be the one to make that move. Not until she knew for sure it was what he wanted.

"I'm fine, I think I just got my second wind," he offered, rising and reaching for his jacket, swallowing hard as Felicity stretched as she rose from the sofa, the movement sinuous and cat like. Turning quickly, he checked for his keys and followed her to the door.

"Be careful, ok?" She looked up him with a soft smile and once more, he wanted nothing more than to lean down and capture her lips. Slam the door shut, press her up against it and truly find out what it was like to lose himself in Felicity Smoak. He forced himself to find his iron control and managed to resist what his body was screaming at him to do.

"Will do, I'll see you Monday?" He was pleased his voice didn't sound as gruff as he felt. "Of course," she responded, reaching up to straighten the collar of his jacket in a move so natural she didn't question it. His eyes darkened as he watched her small hand smooth over the material. With reluctance, he pulled back and opened the door.

"Good night Felicity." Unable to resist, he stroked a finger down her cheek delighting in the way her eyes glazed over at his touch, marveling again at the softness of her skin. "Sweet dreams." With that, he turned and headed back down the hall.

Felicity watched him go, still trying to sort out what his parting gesture meant. When his back had disappeared down the stairs, she finally pulled herself together and shut the door, locking it behind her. Deciding she was too tired to think more about what he meant, her skin still tingling from his touch, she shuffled off to her bedroom. She was pretty sure what she'd be dreaming about tonight.

For his part, Oliver spent a good ten minutes simply sitting in the car before he could bring himself to start it. Tonight had been a revelation in many ways, and of many things. The most important however was that he realized he needed to have a conversation with Laurel. One that was long overdue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it, I suspect Oliver is finally coming to his senses. But...it's not always an easy road, is it? Thanks for your continued support and reviews, they make my day and inspire my muse!


	10. A Needed Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feelings are addressed on both sides...but it's not without a little drama.

Felicity grimaced as she popped two more Advil before turning back to her screen. It was only Thursday but it had already been a very long week, on both her day and night jobs. However, she was pretty pleased with the outcome.

Queen Consolidated had just narrowly escaped the threatened takeover, thanks in large part to Walter, who had benefited from some intel on one of the companies involved she'd finaly unearthed and he'd tracked down overseas. Not only had it stalled the takeover in progress, but coupled with Walter's decision to return and take over as CEO, it had put the company a little further on the path to redemption. Oliver would remain as President but now could share responsibility with Walter. She'd barely managed to restrain her laughter at the abject look of relief she'd seen on Oliver's face when Walter had made the announcement.

On the Hood front, Oliver, thanks to a key piece of information she'd uncovered, had put one of the Glade's biggest crime bosses behind bars. And the whole thing had come about with only a few superficial injuries to both Digg and Oliver. Any mission without bloodshed was good in her book. An added bonus was that the crime boss had provided some key, unexpected information on what Deadshot was up to and Oliver and Digg were once more planning for the big takedown when the time was right. Thankfully, they were united in their desire to kill the master criminal this time, although she shuddered to think about what could happen. But regardless, while they couldn't do anything immediately, the knowledge that they soon could, put both of the men in her life in good spirits.

So, honestly, she had nothing to complain about this afternoon, except the burgeoning headache she felt coming on after staring at data and spreadsheets for hours on end. Unfortunately, the IT department budget was not in as good shape as it could be and she knew she needed to work out some new business plans if things were to stay on track. It just wasn't very interesting work.

Then there was the fact that things had been a bit different between her and Oliver this week, and she wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing. He hadn't said much about their outing to the fair, or their almost kiss, not that she'd expected him too. But, he'd been suspiciously unforthcoming, even in teasing her, about what he had planned for Saturday night. As this was different from past weeks, she was a little worried that perhaps he'd realized that he didn't want to do this anymore, that he really was better off spending his free time with Laurel, rather than her, and that he was simply trying to find a way to tell her.

But just when she'd convinced herself that he was regretting their lessons, and almost kissing her, he'd make some comment about her 'horrible form ' when shooting arrows, or about the stuffed Robin Hood that proudly adorned Felicity's desk. He'd taken to referring to it as Team Arrow's mascot. Digg had simply rolled his eyes and deliberately not asked questions. Felicity had noted he was getting really good at both of those things lately.

Still, she was feeling a little uncertain right now. Especially as she knew Oliver had a date with Laurel this evening. Not that she'd expected anything different. He probably had convinced himself their almost kiss was a mistake and she couldn't blame him. After all, she was Laurel, the girl who had a claim on him that no amount of 'educational' nights could compete with. Oliver might enjoy spending time with her, but it was pretty obvious he was still together with Laurel.

She admitted she might be a bit over emotional in her thinking, but who could blame her? That almost kiss had haunted her all week. In fact, it had sparked some of the hottest dream fantasies she could ever remember having. She felt herself blush as she remembered the particularly NC-17 rated fantasy she'd had last night about him really teaching her to shoot an arrow…

The ringing of her cell phone nearly had her jumping out of her seat. Placing a hand over her heart, she looked over at the phone and was surprised at the name that greeted her. Smiling, she picked up the phone and greeted the unexpected but not unwelcome caller.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two hours later, to her surprise, Felicity found herself enjoying a sinfully good glass of red wine at one of Starling City's newest 4-star restaurants. Even more surprisingly was the man who sat across from her. She'd been surprised to see AJ's name on her caller ID, and pleased to learn he was passing through town again for the evening and wanted to know if she'd like to grab dinner. She'd said yes immediately, knowing she wouldn't have Hood business tonight if Oliver was out on a date. Plus, with her confused feelings all week, it was nice to have a man who seemed actually interested in her ask her out. And she had to admit, AJ was the whole package, attractive, charming and a true gentleman.

She was having a great time hearing more about his career, and the rather interesting family, blood and extended, that populated his life. She couldn't help but be impressed that he had several current and former Judge Advocate Generals in his family. Talk about having a lot to live up to. But he seemed pretty good-natured about everything, content with his career as a Navy lawyer. She liked that about him, not to mention the fact that he was good company.

They'd just finished their appetizers when the live band struck up one of Felicity's favorite songs. With a smile, she turned to look at the seven piece orchestra, and the variety of couples that were on the dance floor. The restaurant might have only been open for a few months but obviously, it knew what it was doing and live music was obviously a huge hit with all ages.

"Care to dance?" AJ's tone was infectious, and despite her reminder to him that she wasn't the most graceful, she found herself laughing as he led her onto the dance floor. To her surprise, they moved well together, much better than they had at Verdant. She wondered if it had something to do with the song or the fact that she was more comfortable in his presence. Either way, she was truly enjoying herself, laughing at something AJ said and letting him twirl her in and out of his arms to the infectious big band beat.

It was also why she remained completely oblivious to the couple who had just entered the restaurant.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oliver was nervous. If he were honest, he was terrified of how this conversation with Laurel was going to go. Part of him was sure it was the right thing to do, but that tiny, old-Oliver part inside him kept nagging at him. Could he really give up the dream he'd had of them for so long? But the remembered look in Felicity's eyes as he'd nearly kissed her, not to mention the desire she'd sparked in him that night, made it clear he had to do something before things became unbearable and he did something he'd regret.

In his defense, he'd tried to get the conversation out of the way earlier in the week, but the only night Laurel had free was tonight and he figured that if they were going to talk about the status of their relationship, he might as well treat her to a nice dinner to take away some of the anticipated sting. So, he'd made the date with Laurel and spent the rest of the week trying to hide how much he wanted to kiss Felicity every time he saw her.

He knew this had resulted in him seeming a bit schizophrenic, in the eyes of both Felicity and Digg. He could tell Felicity was a little hurt, and a little surprised at his lack of teasing about their upcoming Saturday. But, he had to take care of things with Laurel before he could even give her any hope, if she was even open to anything more with him. And since he'd had to wait until tonight, he'd done what he could to keep his distance from Felicity, aside from some teasing about the stuffed Robin Hood. He figured it was a necessity in order to keep from grabbing her and making some of his more vivid fantasies come true.

Laurel had picked the restaurant, one of Starling City's newest in the wake of the earthquake, and to be honest, he hadn't thought much about it. His focus was more on how to broach the entire subject of their relationship and its future or lack thereof. However, as they entered the restaurant, he had to admit, he liked the understated style, and the way the wine list was prominently displayed. He smiled to note they did have Château Lafitte-Rothschild.

He jerked himself back to the present as they were shown to a table and settled in. Laurel, he noted, was looking around approvingly. He was trying to decide if they should at least order drinks before he started this discussion when she spoke.

"Isn't that Felicity over there?"

He jerked his head around to where she was looking, startled to hear her utter the name that had been haunting him for the past week, if not year. He was even more stunned to see his beautiful IT girl in the arms of the man he was pretty sure she'd been dancing with at Verdant last week. The punch to his gut was almost, but not quite, unexpected.

"Oliver?" Laurel's voice was concerned and he struggled to get himself under control before forcing his gaze away from the laughing couple on the dance floor. "Sorry, yes, that's Felicity. I didn't know she had a date tonight." He knew his tone was gruffer than normal, something Laurel obviously picked up on. "Why should you have known if she had a date?" Her voice sounded almost reproving. "Well, I shouldn't, but when I talked to her today she didn't mention it and as she's my friend, I wonder why." He knew Laurel wasn't buying it from the hard look his girlfriend gave him.

"I do too, especially since I received some interesting pictures in the mail today," was all she chose to reply as their waiter approached. Oliver felt his heart stop for a moment as his attention focused completely on Laurel. "Pictures?" He wasn't sure what to expect when Laurel sighed and reached for her purse. Pulling out a manila envelope, she slid it across the table, her face expressionless. Taking a deep breath, he opened the envelope and pulled out several glossy photos.

Of him and Felicity at the fair. Holding hands and smiling into each others eyes. For a moment, he was amazed at the emotions the photographer had captured. Even he could see the way they were looking at each other—and it was definitely way beyond friendly. It was, in fact, very intimate and if he were honest, showed a couple very much in love. And if he'd needed any proof of his feelings for Felicity, this moment between them, captured on film, pretty much cemented it. After all, wasn't a picture worth a thousand words?

"Who took these?" He knew his voice was gruff, and he probably should say something to Laurel about the situation in which they were taken, but he found himself more upset that someone had captured his and Felicity's private moment.

"A friend of mine works at the _Starling City Star_ and she happened to get a hold of these from one of her photographers." Laurel's voice was even, no expression that he could detect. "She wanted to let me know that she'd managed to stop the story from running, but thought I should know that my boyfriend was out with someone else."

Oliver's first emotion was relief that the public would not see this private moment. His second was guilt, although it was more over the fact that he'd waited so long to tell Laurel what he was feeling, that a gossip rag photographer had to clue her in. The third was confusion, as Laurel wasn't saying anything, or slapping him, or even berating him for anything. She was just looking at him, her eyes serious and perhaps a little hurt.

He sighed, knowing it was time to really talk. For a moment, he turned his gaze from her, looking over to where Felicity had just settled back into her seat. He was pretty sure he was glaring from the look she gave him when she became aware of his gaze. For a moment, their eyes met, and time seemed to stand still. Then she jerked her eyes back to her date as she reached for her wine. His gaze then turned to the back of the head of the man sitting across from her as he debated what type of arrow he'd use on the man to disable but not kill him. His gaze, and his mind, shot back to the woman currently sitting across from him when she spoke.

"So Oliver, I think we'd better talk about Felicity."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Felicity could feel an intense stare aimed at her as soon as she sat down at the table. Feeling her stomach drop, she closed her eyes a moment, knowing only one person could put that much intensity into a look. Opening her eyes, she titled her head and found herself looking directly at Oliver, who was seated halfway across the room at a table with Laurel. It wasn't hard to tell, even from this distance, that Oliver wasn't happy.

Wasn't it just her luck that they'd choose the same restaurant, on the same night, as she and AJ. She had to admit, it was pretty ironic if you thought about it. She'd gone out to try and get him out of her thoughts and of course, he'd have to appear and put himself right back in. Karma was a bitch.

"You okay, Felicity?" AJ's voice startled her back to awareness of her date and with an apologetic smile, she nodded. "Sorry, just lost in my thoughts," she offered. His wry laugh made her look at him in confusion. "Would those thoughts be for the man who's intensely glaring at me from across the room?"

Felicity sighed, her cheeks blushing. "Yeah, that would be him." She offered a wry smile. "I don't suppose you'd buy the story that he's my boss and he's a little overprotective?" His laughter made her feel a bit better.

"If that's overprotective, I have a piece of lakefront property in the Sahara I want to sell you." At that, Felicity couldn't help but laugh. "Would it do any good to say it's not about you, it's about me?"

AJ gave her a small grin. "It might, but I have to warn you, it seems pretty obvious he's got it in for me, I assume because I'm here with you."

She sighed. "Don't take it personally, he never seems to approve of the men I date."

"And that right there tells me there's a lot more to the story of you and your boss. Care to tell a friend about it?" In that moment, Felicity knew that he was telling her that he understood and would be there if she wanted a friend or something more. He really was almost too good to be true. And he deserved an explanation for why he was getting death glares from the erstwhile Hood of Starling City. She sighed and began to explain, as best she could, the relationship, or lack thereof, between her and Oliver.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Laurel had had just about enough. She wasn't stupid and she wasn't blind. She'd noticed she had lost Oliver's attention the instant he spotted Felicity. Something that she'd come to expect when he saw the blonde head of his IT department anymore. At first, it had annoyed her, because after all, he was her boyfriend and she should have his undivided attention. But as she'd watched the two of them interact more together she realized, with a sigh, that she was fighting the inevitable.

And then her friend Shelley had sent the pictures. If she were honest, her initial reaction was shock more than hurt. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen this coming, even though she'd tried to ignore it. Things with her and Oliver had never quite gotten back to the same place they had been before the earthquake. She knew a lot of that was her fault, as she'd kept her distance from both him and Tommy in the initial weeks after the disaster. It had been difficult, especially as she knew she still felt something for Tommy, but he'd remained silent on the matter and refused to talk about it.

So, after Oliver's disappearance and reappearance, she'd decided that she owed it to them to see if they could salvage anything of their relationship. After all, it hadn't seemed as if Tommy wanted anything more than a strained friendship, if that, from her. And at first, she and Oliver had seemed to work, despite both their busy schedules. But as the weeks, then months had passed, she'd noticed Oliver pulling away from her. And it was only lately that she'd realized their conversations had become even more superficial than normal. He didn't seem that interested in anything she was doing, but always could come up with something Felicity had done or was doing.

And to tell the truth, she wasn't all that upset as she had enough to worry about with her own mission to represent those who needed her after having lost everything in the earthquake. And, if she were honest, Oliver hadn't been the man she'd been spending a lot of time with lately, talking to about everything she was dealing with. So while the pictures had hurt for a moment, that hurt had quickly passed into resolution and she knew that it was the sign she'd been looking for.

The writing had been on the wall, if she were honest with herself, for months. She'd just decided to overlook it, hoping they could hold onto the memory of what they had. But, as she saw his preoccupation and obvious jealousy over Felicity being out with another man tonight, coupled with the pictures, she knew it was time to confront the situation. She had to admit, the look of fear on Oliver's face at her "let's talk about Felicity" was pretty priceless.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, about Felicity's and my spending time together, but honestly, she was just showing me things I missed while on the island." He wasn't sure she was buying it, but if nothing else, he wanted her to know he hadn't cheated on her. At least physically. Because mentally, well, he was guilty of doing a lot more with Fantasy Felicity. "I should have told you earlier, and despite what the picture suggests, nothing happened between us, it was just two friends exploring a fair, and watching some movies on weekends," he finished lamely. Even he could hear the lie in his voice.

"That's too bad, because the couple there looks to be a lot more than just friends." Laurel's voice was resolute although she was surprised to find she felt rather calm about addressing this. The expression on his face was amusing her as well. So she went for the kill. "So just how long have you been in love with Felicity?"

Oliver, who had just taken a sip of his water, choked.

Laurel tried to hide her laughter. The expression of horror on his face was priceless. But it was the guilt she saw mixed into his gaze that told her she was doing the right thing for both of them. "If the pictures didn't show it, it's pretty obvious from the way you're giving Felicity's date tonight the evil eye." She paused to thank the waiter who delivered their drinks, then disappeared, obviously sensing something was up.

"What do you mean? I'm simply concerned for her welfare. As I would be for any Queen employee." Oliver knew she was giving him the opening he'd been waiting for, but something, perhaps the last remaining piece of his life before the island, had him stalling. Her wry laughter told him that this tactic would not work. Not tonight. And part of him was glad she was forcing him to man up and confront the situation.

"Right. Because one, you've never taken me to a street fair; two, I've never seen you look that concerned for any of your employees; and three, the way your fists are clenched as you watch them together over there suggests a lot more than just concern for her welfare." Laurel was actually, to her surprise, having more fun with this than she thought. She found she enjoyed watching him squirm. "Oliver, just admit it, you're in love with her and you want to be the one with her tonight."

Oliver sighed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Opening them again, he was surprised to see understanding reflected in Laurel's eyes. He knew then that it was time to put everything on the table. He gave her a rueful grin after taking a sip of his beer. "Am I that obvious?"

Laurel sighed. "Only to someone who knows the signs and I can see them, and they're not for me." Her voice turned wistful. "Maybe, maybe once they were, but not anymore. Probably not for a long time." She looked over at him, refusing to let him break their gaze. "I'm tired of holding onto a memory. It's doing neither of us any good." She saw surprise, then acceptance dawn in his eyes. Feeling more confident she looked him directly in the eyes. "So, where do we go from here?"

Oliver felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. Something told him it was going to be all right. But he made a mental note to have the Hood pay a certain photographer a little visit. He wanted the negatives of those pictures and any others he'd taken. No one was going to be seeing them after tonight but himself and maybe, one day, Felicity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, while I am not a fan of Laurel, I really wanted her to be on the same page as Oliver regarding their relationship. Besides, in my mind, there's only one man in Starling City for Laurel, and it's not Oliver. And in this story, he's not dead, thank goodness!


	11. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AJ has some fun with Oliver...and Laurel tries to avert disaster.

"Wow, that's quite a story. And I thought my family relationships were dramatic."

Felicity had to grin at the look of admiration on AJ's face. "What can I say, I might not look it but I suspect I'm a closet drama queen…" she trailed off as he laughed again. She actually couldn't believe she'd told him the entire saga of her and Oliver, minus the Hood element of course. But there was just something about him that made him so easy to talk to.

"Trust me, you're far from a drama queen, I know a few," he grinned at her, but then his expression sobered. "But, if you feel that strongly about him you should tell him. It seems obvious, from what you've told me, that he feels something too. Maybe you just have to make the first move?"

She sighed. "Yes, but he's still with Laurel. The woman everyone else pales in comparison to. I don't know if what he might feel for me even compares to that." She frowned as she took a sip of her wine. "I thought, maybe for a little bit, that he might feel something for me, he did almost kiss me, but now he's out with her and he hasn't really mentioned anything about it all week. Not that I expected him to, but I just don't know what to think." She knew she sounded frustrated, but she couldn't help it. She was also a little angry as well. What right did Oliver have to ruin one of the best nights she'd had lately with his intense, accusing stare, all while sitting across from Laurel?

AJ's voice was soft. "It's rather obvious he feels more for you than you think. Trust me, I know a jealous stare when I see one."

She sighed and gave him a small smile. "I appreciate your encouragement but I don't know if I believe you. Oliver is … complicated when it comes to talking about everything, especially his feelings." She sighed and took another sip of her wine. Realizing she was wasting time on something she couldn't do anything about at the moment, she smiled at her companion. "And I can't imagine what you're thinking of me after I just dumped all this on you, my date, including the fact that I'm probably in love with another man." She sighed, realizing that she'd put AJ in a very uncomfortable situation.

She looked at him curiously as he reached over and squeezed her hand. "Trust me, I'm just glad you feel comfortable enough with me to talk about all this stuff. Because no matter what happens, I really hope we can develop our friendship as you are one of the most interesting women I happen to know." He grinned at the look she gave him. "I know, you probably didn't expect that, but what can I say, I surprise even myself sometimes."

Felicity couldn't help but smile. She really wished she could feel something more for AJ as he was obviously one in a million. But the fact that he seemed to genuinely want to remain friends, well, she couldn't argue with that. She enjoyed his company and would enjoy getting to know him better. One could, after all, never have enough friends. Especially friends that irritated Oliver. "You're something else AJ Roberts. I can't imagine why some wonderful woman hasn't snatched you up yet as I truly don't deserve a friend like you." She smiled. "But I'd really like to be friends with you if you can handle all my drama."

AJ smiled in reply. "Then friends it is. But," his voice turned amused now, "if you want to give Oliver a little something to think about tonight, maybe see what he's missing, I'm happy to help."

Felicity grinned at the expression in his eyes. "You're sure about that? Oliver Queen isn't a man who intimidates lightly." AJ's answering grin made her laugh. "Either am I. And in this case, if it leads to the happiness of a good friend," he smiled at her reassuringly, "I'll take the risk." With that, he rose and offered her his hand again, just as the band struck up a jazzy rendition of 'In the Mood.' Smiling brilliantly, Felicity took it and, deliberately avoiding Oliver's gaze, let him lead her towards the dance floor. A few minutes later they were laughing as they twirled around to the music. Felicity felt Oliver's glare and couldn't help but smile triumphantly as AJ stepped up his moves. Surprisingly, they moved well together in the swing dance steps she found coming back to her from the class she'd taken as an elective one year in college.

"I think it's working, as I'm pretty sure I have a hole in the back of my head from where he's giving me the death glare." AJ's teasing voice had her stealing a glance over at Oliver's table, noting his gaze was indeed, focused on AJ, and he was looking distinctively Hood-like. It sent a chill down her spine—and not necessarily a purely pleasant one. She did know she could only push so far before he snapped and she really didn't want that happening in a crowded restaurant. Not that he had any say in any of this as she had every right to be out on a date. Still, she figured the best course of action at the moment was to get out before he did something that ended up involving an arrow in some part of AJ. She was pretty sure that's what was going through his mind at the moment. She knew the look well.

"Well, on that note, we've given him something to think about, let's leave it at that and get out of here, ok?" She saw AJ grin and felt a little apprehensive at the look on his face. "Without stopping to say hello, it would be totally rude after he's stared at us all night." Her eyes widened as AJ linked her arm through his and led her off the dance floor towards where Oliver and Laurel were sitting.

"AJ, I don't think this is a good idea," she whispered but it was too late as she saw Laurel's gaze focus on them. For a moment, she could have sworn she saw amusement in the other woman's glance. But it quickly turned unreadable as they reached the table.

"Hello Mr. Queen, I'm AJ Roberts and I figured I should introduce myself since you've been giving us looks all night that I assume are because Felicity hasn't come over to say hello or make introductions." His grin was, Felicity thought, perhaps, slightly predatory as he held out a hand to Oliver. She suspected this might be what AJ looked like in a courtroom.

She could see the split second of hesitation on Oliver's face before he took the offered hand. She couldn't help but roll her eyes as she watched them both do the 'I have a stronger grip than you' move. "Really, boys?" She turned her attention to Laurel, managing a smile even though she was flustered on the inside. "Hi Laurel, it's nice to see you again. AJ, this is Oliver's girlfriend, Laurel Lance." She was pleased when Laurel nodded, her expression seeming friendly.

"AJ, nice to meet you." Laurel held out her hand and AJ shook it. She then turned back to Felicity. "Felicity, I'm sorry Oliver's stares disturbed you, he was rather upset you hadn't come over to introduce your date and I told him he could just go over and ask, but you know Oliver." Felicity could almost swear there was amusement in Laurel's voice. A far cry from the annoyance she'd expected at her boyfriend's obvious preoccupation with his IT girl's date.

"I didn't want to disturb Felicity's date," Oliver's voice was tense and she heard the emphasis on the word "date" that he didn't try to hide. She was half thrilled, half terrified with the knowledge that if she heard it, Laurel must have too. Still, she had to say something before this got more awkward.

"Well, next time, come over, ok? It's better than giving your 'death glare' to unsuspecting people." She couldn't help the teasing tone that entered her voice, fostered by the slight smile he gave her in acknowledgement of his alter-ego's more prevalent tendencies. "Next time," he replied, his voice still intent as his gaze focused on hers.

She forced down the blush as she felt AJ squeeze her arm, which was still linked with his. "Mr. Queen, Ms. Lance, it was lovely to meet you, but Felicity and I really should be going. We don't want to disturb your dinner." AJ's smile was pleasant but she could hear the amusement in his tone. Still a bit unsettled, she managed to say goodbye to Oliver and Laurel before letting AJ guide her back to their table. She sank down into her chair, wondering what the hell had just happened. She remained in that daze until she felt AJ reach over and brush her arm. "Felicity, earth to Felicity, you ready to go?"

She came back to the present and gave him a small smile. Yes, she needed to get out of here, needed time to think about what this whole evening had meant and what Oliver's looks, and Laurel's attitude had meant. "Let's go." She tried to keep her eyes away from Oliver, but found it very difficult when she could feel him staring at her as AJ helped her with her coat. Giving him a slight nod of her head, she let AJ lead her from the restaurant, only relaxing when they'd reached the valet stand.

"You handled that well, and I think Oliver has a lot to think about now," AJ said, pulling her against his side and giving her a smile.

"You think so?" She wasn't sure, really, about anything now.

"I know so. He was eaten up with jealousy, trust me, I know the look."

She sighed. "I wish you were right, but I guess only time will tell. And with Oliver, things can take a very long time." She felt depressed again as she realized Oliver would probably add this to the list of things 'not mentioned' in their lives. He was good at that.

"Hey, no getting depressed." AJ gave her a quick squeeze. "I think we need to clear your mind of Oliver for a while and just go have some good old-fashioned fun. What do you think?"

Felicity felt her spirits pick up at his cheerful words. She couldn't do much more tonight other than worry, and really, she wanted to have one night where she could escape her Oliver worries for just a little bit. "You're on, what do you have in mind?" His grin made her heart feel a little lighter.

"How do you feel about bowling?" Her laughter made AJ's smile widen. He only hoped Oliver Queen came to his senses before he truly lost the best thing in his life. And if it didn't work out between Felicity and her boss, he wouldn't mind being there to pick up the pieces.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"I really don't know when it happened, it just did." Oliver was finding it easier than he'd thought to talk about Felicity with Laurel. Surprisingly, she seemed to be taking it pretty well. "What?" Laurel was looking at him with amusement. "It's just, you're taking this differently than I expected. Much better in fact," he finished sheepishly.

Laurel sighed and sipped her wine. "Well, if we're being honest here, I have to admit that I've been spending more time than usual with Tommy," she offered, seeing Oliver's eyes widen. She grinned. "Don't look so shocked, you're not the only one who's been realizing that maybe we weren't meant to be together. Or that we made a mistake getting back together at all."

Oliver breathed a sigh, half regretful, half in relief. "It sounds so strange to hear you say what I've been struggling with for the past few weeks, if not months," he offered. Laurel gave him a wistful smile. "You know, we might have been good together, in another life," she said quietly. "But in this one, maybe we're better off putting the past where it belongs, and moving forward with other people." She reached over and squeezed his hand. "I did love you Oliver, I always will, but I'm not in love with you anymore. I think I knew it a long time ago, but didn't want to let go of the past."

Oliver sighed and gave her a small smile. "I love you too Laurel, and I'll always regret screwing things up so badly before the island. But," he squeezed her hand again, "I think I'm ready to put us in the past. Although, I hope we can stay friends." He realized how awful that must sound, even as Laurel burst into laughter, while pulling her hand back. He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, old habits die hard."

"It's ok, Oliver, I think we can stay friends. And maybe, you'll feel more comfortable coming to visit Tommy now? He really does miss you."

Oliver sighed. "I don't know about that, but I know I miss him and I'd like to see him more. That is if he can forgive me for screwing things up so badly between you two." He deliberately left it at that, knowing Tommy needed to forgive him for a lot more than Laurel would ever know.

"Trust me, we've talked a lot and I know he regrets some of the things he's said to you." She sipped her drink as she contemplated her words. "It's funny, I think I've gotten to know Tommy better than we ever did while we were dating, and I didn't even realize it until this moment." She looked surprised, but relieved Oliver noted.

"I guess it happens like that," he mused, his gaze moving towards where Felicity and her date were laughing about something. "You don't even realize when that person you've been friends with for what seems forever suddenly has become the most important person in your life." He sighed, forcing his gaze away from the couple at the other table and picked up his drink. "And then she goes out with someone that's not you and you realize you can't stand to see her with someone else." He tipped his glass to Laurel. "I hope that you and Tommy have an easier road that I appear to."

Laurel reached over and patted his arm. "From what you've told me, I bet it won't be as hard as you think." Her grin turned amused then as Oliver raised an eyebrow. "However, I don't think she's going to make it easy on you."

Oliver grimaced. "Tell me something I don't know." He took another sip of his drink and tried to ignore the amused look his former girlfriend was wearing. But her next words stopped him in his tracks. "And I suspect she's staring her offensive now, so you might want to give some serious consideration to how you want to handle this."

His head whipped around to Felicity's table, only to find it empty. His gaze immediately went to the dance floor and his fists clenched as he saw Felicity and her date attempting to do what looked like a swing dance. Her hair flew around her face as her date pulled her against his body and then twirled her away. To his annoyance, they seemed pretty graceful. Worst of all, he could hear Felicity's infectious laughter, noting the couple had captivated the small audience they'd attracted. And the look on her date's face as he looked at Felicity made him realize he'd never felt more like putting an arrow in someone than he did at that moment.

Laurel was about to laugh as she noted his expression as he focused on the other couple. But her grin faded as she saw the look change into something…different. It had her fighting a shiver. There were times she was pretty happy she didn't know much about Oliver's darker side, other than it existed. Tonight was one of those times. In fact, she felt a little sorry for Felicity's date. And she had a moment of realization. He'd never looked at her the way he'd been looking at Felicity all night.

"Oliver, you'll stand no chance at all with her if you don't get yourself under control." Laurel's words barely registered in his conscious, his brain was already engaged in thinking of ways to dispose of the other man's body. It was only when he felt Laurel's hand cover his clenched fist that he returned his gaze to her. He sighed, pulling his hand away and forcing himself to relax. "You think you can control your jealous rage?" Struggling, he nodded, although in his lap, his hand clenched into an even tighter fist. "Good, because they're headed our way."

He looked over to see Felicity and her date approaching and it took everything in him to not stand up and rip her away from the man. She shouldn't be linking arms with anyone but him. But Laurel's words, and sharp look, made him realize he had to find some semblance of control.

He was pleased he managed to offer AJ as a smile as he'd introduced himself, even if he could see the amusement in the other man's eyes. It was obvious he knew Oliver wasn't happy he was with Felicity and was rubbing his nose in it. It was why he squeezed AJ's hand harder than normal when it was offered. He knew both Laurel and Felicity were watching them as they engaged in the age old "handshake" battle. He was a little unsettled to feel that AJ's grip was quite strong, although not as strong as his.

"Really boys?"

Felicity's words made him realize she was perfectly aware of what was happening and he gave AJ a small smile as he watched Felicity introduce her date to Laurel. He frowned as Laurel gave some ridiculous excuse about telling Oliver to go introduce himself, but was grateful she wasn't going to make this more difficult than it had to be. He did notice however, that Felicity seemed a little surprised at Laurel's reaction, almost as if she'd been expecting something more. Maybe there was hope.

His heart felt a little lighter as he heard the teasing tone as she admonished him for not coming over. He was amused to note her veiled reference to the Hood as well. But it was the 'next time' that made his smile fade. Did she really anticipate another date with AJ?

He managed to pull it together enough to realize the other couple was leaving and he offered Felicity a tight smile, glad to see she at least returned it. As he watched them head back to their table, he had to stifle the anger that rose in him as he watched AJ place a hand on her back to guide her around the tables. He felt the primitive side of him, usually better dealt with under a hood, struggle to emerge.

"Seriously Oliver, you have to relax, there's nothing you can do right now." Laurel's voice brought his gaze back to her. "Come on, you're scaring me." At that, he tried to school his expression into a more normal one. But the feelings boiled right under the surface. It was only with mild relief that he noted Felicity and AJ were leaving, and the fact that she at least acknowledged him with a nod was something to be grateful for. He really didn't want to think about where they might be going. His blood pressure skyrocketed again.

Laurel sighed, having noticed the other couple leaving as well and realizing she had to keep him from losing it. "I know you're pretty upset right now, but honestly, I really think a lot of that was a show put on for your benefit." His gaze widened as he looked at her. She shrugged. "I just got the impression that AJ was trying to rile you up, not Felicity." As he was still looking confused she threw up her hands in resignation. "Okay, forget I said anything, but I do have one request, if you think you can handle it?"

Oliver sighed and nodded. He owed her that at least. And he really needed a distraction. "What do you want?" Laurel smiled. "The Oliver I'd like to have as a friend. Which means I'd kind of like to actually talk to you on this, our last official date, instead of have you go all caveman on me." She grinned as she saw something soften in his eyes.

"I think I can do that." He gave her a smile, realizing that despite his jealousy, he was grateful for the friendship she was offering. Most women would have taken this much worse. "So, if we're going to talk, it occurs to me you've heard all about Felicity, why don't you tell me about you and Tommy?" As he saw her expression soften, he realized he was truly happy for her and his erstwhile best friend.

They continued to talk about their respective lives and relationships as they ate, both realizing that it was the most interesting conversation they'd had since they'd started dating. He was glad to hear about her and Tommy and he honestly hoped they could make it work. The same way he hoped he and Felicity could figure things out. Because if nothing else, this whole evening had done nothing more than steel his resolve when it came to Felicity. Now that he'd acknowledged he wanted her, perhaps even loved her, he had to figure out how to make her see that. And with his track record, that could be a problem.

But no one ever accused Oliver Queen of running from his problems. And, he realized, the ace up his sleeve was that he had Saturday night to bring this all about. He smiled as he relaxed a bit, set on his course of action. Saturday night things were going to change. He only hoped Felicity was ready for what he had planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Oliver's on board...Felicity could soon be...what does Saturday hold? A surprise, I guarantee you. Thanks for keeping with this story, more to come very soon!


	12. A Score to Settle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while between updates. Real life has taken over and I actually have research articles to write in and around these flights of fancy! But, here we go with the next chapter, which takes an unexpected turn. But it only builds the tension for what's to come. More notes on the chapter and the people in it- at the end. Enjoy! And thanks for staying with me!

The bright light of the morning sun woke Felicity up. Stretching, she winced as she felt the headache that usually came the morning after drinking too much. It wasn't too bad, but it was going to require some extra strength aspirin. Wincing as she sat up, she frowned to realize she was under her covers, shoes lying next to the bed on the floor. She could have sworn she came in and collapsed on the bed, not having the energy to even get under the covers. Obviously, she'd been more drunk than she'd thought if she couldn't remember something as simple as getting into bed. She guessed that would teach her not to mix her alcohol.

Finally managing to move from the bed, she stumbled to the bathroom, grimacing as she caught her reflection in the full length mirror. She needed aspirin and a shower in that order as she looked like death warmed over. A few minutes and three aspirin later, Felicity was in the shower, letting the warm water soothe her aches and pains. As she felt her muscles relax, she thought back to what she could remember from the night before. Thankfully, it was mostly clear.

After leaving the restaurant, they'd gone bowling. She'd been surprised to find AJ had been serious but once at the bowling alley, she realized it was the most unique date she'd been on in ages. And from that moment on, she'd decided to simply have fun—and she'd succeeded, Oliver thoughts be damned.

Even better, the bowling alley turned into a bowling bar after 10pm. Needless to say, once vodka and cranberry had been added to the situation (the place didn't serve wine), bowling suddenly become even more fun. She and AJ had battled each other, Felicity surprisingly holding her own, even though she hadn't bowled since high school. AJ was pretty good however and the spirit of competition had made the evening more enjoyable. As more people showed up (alcohol apparently was a bowling draw, who knew?) they'd found themselves taking on another couple that had arrived. More drinks were consumed and before she knew it, it was 2am and she was slumped against AJ's side.

In agreement, they'd headed out to grab a cab. When he'd walked her to her door, she'd told him he could sleep on her couch, friends did that, but he'd laughed and said he'd already checked in at his hotel and had to be up for a meeting early before heading back. He'd promised to keep in touch and let her know when he was passing through again. In return, she'd made him promise to get out and find a woman who deserved him. He'd simply shrugged and told her he'd try. After wishing her luck with the Oliver situation, and with a light but friendly kiss on the cheek, he'd headed to his hotel. Felicity thought she had then collapsed on her bed and fallen asleep but obviously somewhere in there she'd taken off her shoes and gotten under the covers.

The water running cold alerted her she'd been in the shower for too long and with a shiver, she turned it off, quickly toweling her body and grabbing her robe. Thankfully, the headache had receded and she was pretty sure it would be gone by the evening.

Which brought her mind back to the place she'd tried to avoid all night and this morning. Would Oliver still want to keep on with his 'education?' After the week they'd had, she really couldn't be sure. After last night, she was even more confused. Sighing, she towel dried her hair and headed back into her room. As she dressed, she wondered if Oliver would call, or perhaps she should call him? She wasn't sure what the day would bring much less if she wanted to face it. Still, she had things to do.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

An hour later, she was busy cleaning the kitchen, her usual Saturday morning task, when her phone buzzed. Feeling something leap in her chest as she saw "Oliver" appear on the screen, she punched the button to read the text.

_Check the hallway outside your door._

She frowned, even as she was moving towards the door. She hadn't heard anything, but then again, she had been playing her music rather loudly. And why was he texting her this? Questions swirled around her head as she opened the door and looked out, not sure what to expect. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the large box at her feet. Looking around, she noticed the hall was completely empty. Shrugging, she grabbed the box and brought it inside, carrying it back to the kitchen.

She laid the box on the table, staring at it for a moment, wondering if she should open it. Obviously, it was from Oliver. At least, she was pretty sure it was. Why would he text her to look for it? Then again, maybe he'd meant something else? Why was this making her so confused? Her phone buzzed again.

_Open it._

She looked out her kitchen window, eyes going immediately to the building across the street, its roof clearly visible. But, to her surprise, it was empty. She frowned. How did he know she'd found the box and was contemplating opening it? He had to be watching, and as she was confident her apartment wasn't under video surveillance, it had to be through the kitchen window. But she saw no one. She frowned again. Her phone buzzed.

_Don't question it. Open it._

Even texting, he could be annoying. But, she had to admit, she was curious. Pushing aside her wonder at how he knew what she was thinking, much less doing, she pulled the lid off the box, and gasped. The box contained an absolutely gorgeous dress in a deep emerald shade. The material looked like silk, a suspicion confirmed as she gently lifted it from the box. The material flowed over her hands, so soft and silky she couldn't help but sigh. It was a formal dress, with hardly any back and a low cut front, but followed slim, sleek lines. She was pretty sure it was exactly her style and not to her surprise, exactly her size.

As she laid the dress over the back of the chair, something else in the box caught her eye. Reaching in, she pulled out a pair of matching emerald heels. Her eyes widened as she noticed the designer. They cost more than she made in a month. Swallowing hard, she looked from the dress to the shoes.

Oliver had sent her a formal dress and heels. Which, on the bright side, meant they were obviously on for tonight. But on the other side, left her completely confused. What in the world was he planning? It was obviously not another movie night at the mansion. Or if it was, she would be a bit overdressed, wouldn't she? Her confusion mounted as she ran through any number of possibilities in her head, so lost in contemplation she barely registered when her phone buzzed again. Reaching for it, she read the latest text.

_Be ready at 7pm. I promise an 'educational night' you won't forget._

She blinked, reading the message again. She was pretty sure she was reading too much into a simple text. Because there was no way he'd meant that in any way other than as a friend. Right? Still, it didn't stop her heart from beating faster as she tried to imagine what he meant. Finally, realizing she wasn't doing anyone any good just standing there, she carried the dress and shoes to her room, placing both in her closet. Taking one last look at them, she closed the door, determined to concentrate on getting her Saturday chores done before she could think about what the evening ahead would bring.

The smile stayed on her face all morning and into the afternoon. Until a beep on her computer shot everything to hell.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Digg would kill him if he ever found out, but he'd again, spent half the night waiting on the fire escape for her to come home. He'd watched, gritting his teeth as the cab had pulled up and he saw the two, heavily leaning on each other, enter the building. His hands had clenched into fists, wondering if she would invite him into her bedroom. Thankfully, he'd seen AJ emerge a few minutes later and stumble into his cab. The relief that flowed through him was instantaneous. Wearing a triumphant smile, he'd turned back to the window, hiding a smile as he watched her stumble into the room and collapse face first on the bed. When she didn't move for a few minutes, he realized she'd passed out. Without stopping to think, he'd pushed her slightly open window all the way up and slipped into her room. He was pretty sure this could be considered stalking, but he wasn't going to let her fall asleep face first and with her heels still on.

Sighing, fighting the urge to wake her, he'd slipped off her shoes and moved her so she was lying on her side. She hadn't woken up, only snuffled and buried her head deeper into the pillows. He'd debated removing her dress, but then realized that was definitely not something he felt comfortable doing when she was passed out. She'd probably never let him hear the end of it as well. So he'd simply settled the covers over her and stepped back, watching her chest fall and rise for endless moments.

In that moment, seeing her so vulnerable, but looking like an angel with her hair haloed around her on the pillow, he'd realized just how completely, utterly, and totally in love he was with her. Not that he hadn't been thinking about that since his conversation with Laurel, or hell, probably since he'd first met Felicity if he were honest. But now, watching her sleep, it became the one thing in his life he was sure of at the moment.

He loved Felicity Smoak.

And as he digested the knowledge, he found, to his surprise, that while it filled him with some fear, the greater emotion he was feeling was happiness. A content feeling that he only got when he was with this remarkable woman. This woman who knew everything about him, the dark and the light, and still stayed with him, challenging him, comforting him, making him realize the man he was meant to be, scars and all. And that, to him, suggested she loved him too, even if she was not as ready to admit it.

But if his plans for this evening went as he hoped, that just might change. He was smiling as he slipped back out her window, knowing exactly what he had to do first. It was going to be a very long day.

Five hours later, he cursed as her short text message sent all his plans for the evening into a tailspin.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Felicity was pretty sure this was not what Oliver had planned for their Saturday night. But how could he have known that tonight, of all nights, her countless sources and searches had revealed that Floyd Lawton was back in town and planning a hit? She'd checked, double checked, and then checked again but was positive, five minutes later, that the information was solid. And she realized, with a mix of emotions, that this could be the only chance they had to get Lawton. And after the disaster their last attempt had been, she knew they had to get this one right.

She closed her eyes a moment, remembering when he'd arrived at the lair, about ten minutes after she had, yet before Digg. Turning as she heard him come down the stairs, she'd immediately launched into the details she had, stopping only when he'd reached her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. She'd gone silent, her breath stolen at the look in his eyes as he'd leaned down, lips brushing against her ear as he spoke in a gravely voice that sent shivers down her spine.

"I'm sorry tonight's activity has to be put on hold. But I promise you, we will continue our education Ms. Smoak. I've got plans for you."

Her eyes had gone wide not only at his words, but at the way his hand had subtly brushed over the nape of her neck. It was definitely a deliberate gesture, more intimate than any he'd given her before. She'd swallowed hard, not sure how to reply, saved only by Digg, who had burst through the doors, an intense expression on his face. Oliver had quickly pulled back, his expression neutral as he began to brief the other man as best he could. Felicity had known he was giving her a moment to catch her breath, and thanked him silently for that.

She'd turned her attention to the mission then, pushing thoughts of what Oliver had meant as well as the feel of his hand on her bare skin out of her head. She had to focus on making sure everything went as planned or she might not have an Oliver, or Digg, when it was through. She shivered at the thought, knowing this would be one of the most dangerous missions they'd ever attempted and she could only hope that working together, the three of them could bring Lawton down.

The three of them quickly discussed their options, including the fact that if Felicity's information was right, and she was 99% sure it was, Lawton would be after someone in the middle of a very crowded room. The question was who. And it wouldn't be an easy answer, as a whole host of possible victims was scheduled to be at the Starling City Museum for a brand new exhibit opening that evening.

Plotting all the angles and locations Deadshot would have the best aim, Oliver and Digg figured out where they should be positioned, although there was room for error. That didn't sit well with either man, or Felicity for that matter. The biggest problem however was pinpointing Deadshot's target. Felicity's information had nothing on who that was, only that Lawton had been commissioned to make the hit. She was currently scouring the guest list looking for possible candidates. And she'd come up with two.

"Okay, guys, if I had to guess, I'd say it would be either Lex Luthor or Morgan Edge. Both are supposed to be there and both have somewhat dubious reputations in the business world," she offered, not surprised to see Oliver tense.

"Luthor is going to be there?" The tone of his voice made her curious but she continued anyhow.

"Apparently he's the guest of honor as he's loaning a bunch of items belonging to Alexander the Great to a new museum exhibit on Alexander's life, including the family's jeweled breast plate. It's worth millions and rumored to be what Alexander wore when he conquered, well, just about everyone." Her eyes lit up as she warmed to her topic. "There's also a collection of weapons that are said to have been used in his battle against the Persian empire. One sword is even rumored to be what he used when he took Persepolis. The Luthor's collection is apparently one of the largest in the world and Alexander Luthor is apparently known to be a huge fan of the man some say is his namesake."

Oliver's snort made her turn to face him. "Something you want to tell the class?" she asked, seeing an unreadable expression on his face.

"Other than the fact that I never knew you were so obsessed with Alexander the Great, or Lex Luthor," he gave her an annoyed look before turning serious again. "I knew Luthor before the island," he said quietly. "We went to prep school together and let's just say, we weren't the best of friends." He frowned, lost in the memory. "I admit I wasn't the nicest kid, and I probably pushed him around a bit, especially as he was bald and that made him the subject of a lot of jokes." His voice sounded regretful now. "After we graduated, he went on to take over some of his father's businesses. I lost track of him when he moved to someplace in Kansas to run a fertilizer company."

"Lex runs the entire company now, right?" Felicity was trying to recall what she'd heard about the man in the news over the past few years. "His father went to prison and then was released, died a few months later and Lex took over, right?"

Oliver's mouth tightened as he nodded. "Whatever I might have thought of Lex, the few times I met Lionel Luthor, well, it made me glad my father was nothing like him." He stopped, his eyes darkening and Felicity knew exactly where his mind had gone.

"Don't go there Oliver," her voice was steady as she saw him frown.

"Why shouldn't I? My father was probably worse, plotting with Malcolm to take out the Glades, and halfway succeeding," he trailed off, hand clenched into a fist.

"But your father realized his mistake, he told you, he wanted you to know, and to make it right. Something tells me the Luthors never had a conversation like that." She saw that he was at least considering her words as he remained silent.

"Okay, much as this history lesson is interesting, can we focus on what to do if Luthor is the target?" Diggle's voice was hard. "And what about Morgan Edge? I didn't think he dared show his face after the DA accused him of funding several of the drug lords that are currently operating out of the Glades."

Felicity nodded as she punched up something else on the computer screen. "Apparently he is, but he somehow managed to get an invitation to the exhibit. Which means someone might have wanted him there, which makes him an even more logical target."

"Good point," Diggle sounded resigned. "I guess we'll have to get there and scope out both and hope we can figure out who the target is before he actually gets shot."

Oliver nodded. "I don't like not knowing, but if we're there, covering all the angles, we might be able to spot him and take him out first."

"I hate to be the voice of reason here," Felicity chimed in as the men turned to look at her. "But Lawton is a pretty damn good shot. He's not nick-named Deadshot because he's known to miss. And from what you've seen when dealing with him before," she gave Digg a long look, "he's pretty skilled at keeping himself out of the line of fire."

"It's not ideal, but I don't have any better ideas, do you?" Oliver's voice was harsh but Felicity didn't hold it against him. They were all tense and the danger was becoming all too evident.

"Well," she began, "unless the person who ordered the hit happens to be in the crowd and we could somehow overhear him or her say something incriminating, which probably won't happen, as if our client has the money to hire Lawton he or she is not going to be stupid or slip up and reveal a great master plan…" Her shoulders slumped. "So, I got nothing."

"Maybe you do." Oliver's voice had her head whipping around to him. "You just said that whomever put out the hit has to have the money to hire Lawton, and we know he's not cheap or easy to get to." His eyes were intense as he walked over to the computer, Digg not far behind. "Run a check on the guest list and let's see if we can't find anyone else that could possibly have the cash plus the motive to hire him."

Felicity felt it was pretty much like looking for a needle in a haystack, but it was the only option they had at the moment. Fingers flying over the keyboard, she went back through the names. She frowned. "Well, this isn't a party for the poor. In fact, I'd say more than half the invited guests are multimillionaires. Which doesn't help us narrow things down much."

Digg's frustrated growl made her jump. "There's got to be something. Something, anything we're missing." She gave him a sympathetic smile before turning back to the computer. Something had just occurred to her. Typing a few words into a search engine, she let the computer work, hoping that just maybe, maybe she'd get something this time. The ping a few minutes later had her fist pumping the air in a move that gained both her companion's attention

"Found it!" She clicked on a few links, checking to make sure she was right. Turning to face both men, who were looking at her intently, she smiled. "Morgan Edge apparently has some bad blood between him and one of Starling City's finest, Archibald Carver. Edge screwed him out of a business merger that both their companies were bidding on. That company, that Edge now owns, happens to be run by a relatively well known family with ties to the Triad."

"And Carver wants revenge against Edge for beating him out of the deal, which would give him power with the Triad, so he hires Deadshot to take out Edge in hopes of then taking over the business himself," Oliver muttered as Felicity nodded.

"It makes sense. Edge has to be the target." She frowned. "And since I can't find any connection to Lex or the Luthors that makes any sense, he's got to be who Deadshot is after."

"So, I keep my eyes on Edge and be ready to take out Lawton before he gets a shot off," Digg's voice was intense, and it sent an unpleasant shiver down Felicity's spine.

"Our eyes," Oliver said quietly, looking over at his friend. "You're not doing this alone." Felicity hid her smile at the look the two men exchanged. She knew, and Digg knew, that Oliver wasn't going anywhere this time.

"Okay, so we think we have the target, you guys are scoping out the room, but," Felicity frowned as she turned back to the schematics. "How are you going to be able to keep an eye on him, while trying to stay out of sight Oliver?" She bit her lip, pulling up more diagrams of the museum. "Trust me, I know you're good at being stealthy, but from the layout of the room, including where you think Lawton should be, there's not a great area for you to hide and keep watch, especially in Hood gear." She looked over and saw Oliver's lips were tight.

"She's right, Oliver, it's too risky for you to be suited up and still keep an eye on Edge and Luthor." Digg came over to stand behind Felicity. "I can blend in with security and move around, but that still gives us only one pair of eyes on the floor as you need to be in arrow ready mode, somewhere out of sight."

"Unless, you're not the only pair of eyes on the floor." Felicity bit her lip as she watched her words register with both men. She sighed as the frowns returned.

"No." Oliver's voice was almost a growl. "You're not going anywhere near that museum."

She was getting annoyed. "Come on, you need another pair of eyes, and there's no way Lawton knows about me, much less who I am, so I can blend in perfectly." She turned to look at Digg. "You know it'll be better if I'm there. Besides, if you need a distraction, well, I'm sure I can come up with something."

"I don't like it," Oliver began again, but Digg cut him off. "She's right Oliver. We need her eyes so you can be out of sight and ready." He sighed as his friend started to object. "We'll keep her safe," he said quietly.

Felicity waited, wondering at the expression that came and went in Oliver's eyes as he looked from her to Digg. She breathed a sigh of relief as he nodded sharply. "The first sign of anything happening, you get out of there. I don't want you anywhere near Edge or Luthor when it goes down."

Felicity nodded, trying not to delight in the protective tone she could clearly hear in his voice. "Trust me, I know when to duck and cover," she said, feeling the nervous edge of excitement building at the the thought of the mission. It wasn't exactly how she'd planned on spending this evening, but, come to think of it, she had the perfect outfit. It would be a shame to have it go to waste.

"Then it's settled." Something else suddenly occurred to her. "Of course, we somehow need to get me on the guest list, that could be a problem." She stopped at Oliver's brittle laugh.

"Felicity the Queen's sit on the museum board, or at least, my mother did," he stopped for a moment, looking troubled, then continued. "Regardless, the Queen name and money still have power. A large donation to the museum should be enough to get the head of my IT department, who also happens to be a fan of Alexander, the Great, not Luthor," he clarified sharply as she raised an eyebrow, "into the gala. Digg goes as your bodyguard."

"And why would your IT girl need a bodyguard," she asked. "It's not like I'm anybody important, certainly not important enough to warrant Oliver Queen's personal bodyguard," she finished. She thought she saw a flash of something in Oliver's eyes but it was quickly gone.

"You are important," he said quietly, sending a funny quiver to her heart. "But you'll be carrying a rather large check, it's only natural I'd want you and the check to be 'safe' until you donate it."

She supposed he had a point. "Fine, we'll do it your way." She turned and printed off a few pages of information before grabbing her purse. "Now, it's 6pm and the gala starts in two hours. I'm going to go try and make myself presentable while you guys finalize the plans." She gave them a quick wave, excitement building in her veins as she headed for the stairs.

"Digg will pick you up at 7:30." She jumped as she heard Oliver's voice directly behind her. She hadn't realized he'd moved so fast to catch up to her. Turning she gave him a smile. "I'll be ready. I should have something in my closet that works for this occasion," she said, giving him a wink. She felt the breath leave her body as she saw his eyes darken in what she couldn't mistake as anything but desire. For a moment, she stood in stunned silence, her gaze locked on his.

"It's not how I'd planned to get you into that dress, but I'm telling you now, I will be there to get you out of it."

With that, he turned sharply on his heel, leaving her standing on the stairs, mouth hanging open in shock. Her brain had completely short-circuited at his words. There was no mistaking he meant every one of them. Which made her hope, knowing him as she did, that if he were telling her he wanted to undress her, he had to have ended things with Laurel. Which left her with far more questions than answers, but also with more hope than she'd had in weeks. And she really, really wanted to know what he'd originally had planned for the evening.

Realizing she had to move if she were going to be ready by 7:30, she turned and walked up the stairs, trying to focus on the mission she was about to embark on. There would be time to analyze and ponder his words and what he meant by them later. Assuming they all survived the next few hours. Forcing down the shiver of fear, she headed out the door and to her car. She had a mission to prep for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, a little adventure before they can finally get to the 'education' portion of the evening. Just to let people know if they haven't figured it out from the context of the story, I'm going with the version of Lex from "Smallville" in its early seasons, and in my version here, he turns out quite a bit differently from how he did later on in the series and in the regular comic mythology (as you'll probably see in the next chapter). But he's still a Luthor at heart. Thanks for staying with me...more to come very soon!


	13. Everything Becomes Clear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More action here...as the gala progresses and Felicity makes some new friends and realizes what's really going on.

Felicity took a final look at herself in the mirror, pleased with what she saw. The dress, of course, fit perfectly and she made a mental note to ask Oliver just how he happened to know her exact size. The heels gave her a bit of extra height and perfectly complimented the dress, although should she have to run in them, it could be a problem. But hopefully it wouldn't come to that. She'd left her hair down, and added a pair of small emerald earrings her parents had given her for her 16th birthday. She'd left her neck bare, realizing none of the necklaces she owned would look right with the outfit. Still, she was pleased with how she cleaned up.

She wondered what Oliver would think of her appearance. And, with a small shiver, just exactly how he planned to get her out of the dress. She wasn't too proud to admit that in the past few hours she'd had quite a few fantasies of just how he might accomplish that task. Not to mention what he'd originally had planned for the evening. And to complicate her thoughts even more, what the deal was with Laurel?

She shook her head out of the heated and confused thoughts the memory created, along with the confusion that always seemed to involve her less than friendly thoughts about Oliver. Instead, she focused on what was ahead for them tonight. She'd already transferred most of what information she might need to her phone, which fit nicely in the small clutch purse she carried, knowing her tablet would have to be left at home. The earpiece she would get from Digg once she passed through security, as he assured her that as security himself, he could smuggle in both of their earpieces without being noticed. She only hoped that between those two devices, she would be able to handle what the night might bring.

Noting she had five minutes before Digg picked her up, she reached for her tablet and pulled up as much information as she could on Alexander the Great. As Oliver had noted earlier, she had always been interested in Alexander, or at least his battle strategies, for her own reasons, but if she were honest, most of what she'd rambled about she'd learned from her quick search to get background on Lex Luthor.

Whom, she had to admit, was a bit of a mystery himself. It appeared he'd been trying, much like Oliver, to restore LuthorCorp's reputation after his father had destroyed it several years ago, and if the stories were to be believed, almost destroyed his son in the process. She shivered, thinking that Lionel Luthor might just have rivaled Malcolm Merlyn. She was suddenly very glad both men were dead. But Lex was working hard and somewhat succeeding, as he'd managed to keep the company afloat and was slowly building its reputation back up. Although none of his business had apparent connections to Starling City. So again, it didn't seem like he would be a target tonight.

She'd also brushed up on what she could about Morgan Edge. Apparently, he'd been operating out of Metropolis for years, but had decided to expand his 'business' interests to Starling City. He'd been buying up property where he could, including the one he'd screwed Carver out of and although on paper it all seemed legitimate, she was pretty sure he was up to something. Especially since all the property he'd recently acquired was in the Glades. Not to mention some of her less reputable sources had quite a bit to say about the underhanded and at times deadly measures Edge was reported to employ.

While she knew the purpose of tonight was to get Deadshot, and potentially save Edge, she had to admit, she wouldn't mind if Oliver put an arrow in him as well. The more she learned about him, the less she liked him. It didn't help either that he was somehow connected to Luthorcorp as well, although from what she'd found, it was during the Lionel Luthor period. Still, it probably meant he had a connection to Lex, which just made this whole situation more muddled.

Regardless, she was going to keep an eye on both men. Something still felt a little off and she'd learned, after working with Oliver and Digg, to trust that instinct.

Noting it was now 7:30, she took a deep breath, grabbed the clutch and headed down to meet Digg. She said a quick prayer that tonight wouldn't end in disaster.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oliver watched as Digg pulled the car up outside the museum. He was hidden in one of the storage rooms on the second floor, with a clear view of the approaching guests from the room's small window. It wasn't optimal, but it was the best place for him at the moment. Once Digg and Felicity were inside, he could stick to the shadows of the balcony and see onto the main floor of the museum, but he didn't want to risk attracting any attention until he had to. He was anxious for his partners to get though security and get their earpieces in. Plus, he wanted to go over the plan one more time. There were too many things that could go wrong and he wanted to be as prepared as possible. Especially since Felicity was now in the mix. He clenched his fists, knowing she was right, they needed her, but not liking the fact that she would be in Deadshot's sight as well.

But, he couldn't think about that right now. He had to focus on the mission. The plan was that Oliver would take him down, but let Digg make the final decision on what happened after that. This was his score to settle in the end. However, if the situation got out of hand, he'd do what he had to. Especially if Felicity was in danger. He was pretty sure Digg wouldn't argue.

Turning his attention back to the window, he watched his bodyguard come around and open the door, holding out a hand for Felicity. His breath caught as she emerged, stumbling slightly on the curb as Digg quickly steadied her. Once she'd straightened up, he got his first full look at her…and found himself struggling to breathe.

He'd known the dress would be perfect for her when he'd first come across it in a magazine earlier that week. Not that he read fashion magazines, but he'd been bored waiting on yet another meeting with a rival company, and the only magazines in the waiting area were fashion oriented. So, he'd flipped through a few, thankful no one was around to notice him. When he'd seen the dress on a blonde model, he'd immediately pictured it on Felicity. And after his conversation with Laurel, and revelations of the past few weeks, he'd ordered it as soon as he'd decided what they were going to do on their weekly adventure. Thankfully, the Queen connections had made for an easy overnight delivery.

And seeing her in it now, the way it clung to her figure, accenting the pale skin bared by the low neck and back, bringing out the darker blonde streaks in her hair, which fell in waves over her shoulders, the heels, peeking out from under the long skirt, giving her an added few inches in height, he felt a stab of desire go through him. She was breathtaking and his mind immediately started picturing what she would look like as he got her out of it. The slumberous look of desire he knew would be in her eyes. The soft moans she'd give as he'd run his hands down her spine, pulling her close as he took her lips with his…

He yanked himself out of those fantasies before he could get any more hot and bothered. He couldn't focus on that right now, much as he wanted to. He had to figure out how to keep her safe, take down Deadshot, and do it all without getting anyone killed. Sighing, he took a deep breath then slipped over to the door, opening it a crack and waiting until he could finally connect with his team.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Felicity looked around in awe as she entered the museum. True to form, Digg had walked her in then disappeared, promising to meet her once he'd gone through his security checkpoint. Apparently most people had bodyguards with them and there was a special entrance they went through, most likely because they were armed. Which meant she had a few minutes to scope out the room, knowing it almost as well as Digg and Oliver after staring at the floor plans for what felt like hours.

Then there was the exhibit itself. Her eyes widened as she started to wander, knowing Digg would find her, also knowing Oliver was watching from somewhere on the balcony overlooking the main floor. She wondered what he thought of the dress, or more specifically, her wearing the dress. She could almost picture the flash of desire she wanted, no, she was pretty sure she knew, would appear in his eyes. Her gaze turned dreamy as she imagined his lips against her skin as his hands divested her of the dress, fingers trailing heated paths up and down her spine and over her abdomen. He'd groan as she returned the favor, scraping her nails lightly over his chest as she pushed off his shirt…

"Excuse me!"

She jumped as she saw an annoyed looking waiter skirt around her, and realized she'd been lost in a daydream. Not good if she wanted to stay sharp tonight. Forcing the more heated thoughts of Oliver from her mind, she tried to focus on the exhibit, which really was magnificent. She was immediately drawn to the jeweled breastplate, the centerpiece of the exhibit and the room. It was quite crowded already, but she was able to go right up to the glass. The sheer magnificence of the piece was almost overwhelming, and she wondered just how much security the museum had to have in place to keep this protected from thieves.

She closed her eyes a moment, hoping she hadn't jinxed this whole mission by thinking about another element that could be factored in – regular Starling City thieves anxious for a major score. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes, focusing again on the piece in front of her. She jumped slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Digg standing there.

"Ms. Smoak, I believe now would be a good time to deliver Mr. Queen's donation." His voice was even, but his eyes were wary and she could see him physically trying to resist looking towards where Deadshot should supposedly be at some point that evening. She wanted to say something reassuring, but the knot in her stomach prevented her. She managed to slip the earpiece Digg had just palmed her into her clutch, excusing herself to the bathroom before they continued with the plan. After finding it empty, she slipped in the earpiece, resettling her hair around her shoulders.

"You there?" She felt relief flood over her as she heard Oliver's voice in her ear.

"Ready and waiting. You okay?"

She swallowed hard, looking at herself in the mirror and making sure she didn't look as nervous as she felt.

"As ready as I'm going to be."

"You'll be fine, Felicity. Trust me." Digg's steady voice was the final piece she needed to reassure her that both men were with her and ready to get to work. Taking a deep breath, she left the bathroom and found Digg waiting just outside.

"Let's do this." Her voice was calm even though she knew her eyes must have looked a bit nervous. Digg gave her a reassuring nod before gesturing for her to follow him. She felt the nerves build as they approached a well-dressed couple, holding court in a corner of the room. This was so not her scene she realized, noting how at ease everyone around her seemed with the amount of opulence surrounding them. She was just an IT girl from an average income home. Did she really think she could fit in among Starling City's elite?

"Relax, you look beautiful and you're going to do just fine."

Oliver's voice, slightly deeper than normal in her ear made her body tingle but also calmed some of her nerves. She could do this. She had to do this. And Oliver thought she looked beautiful. The knowledge gave her cheeks a bit more color as she reached Agatha Durring, the head of the museum's board of directors.

"Mrs. Durring?" She saw the older woman turn to face her, a pleasant smile on her face. "I'm Felicity Smoak."

"Of course, Oliver said to expect you." Agatha's voice was smooth and polished, exactly like she would expect a moneyed member of society to be. She figured it was a skill that came after years of hosting these affairs. Digg's slight nudge alerted her she should say something.

"Yes, he's sorry he couldn't attend himself, but he wanted me to make sure I delivered this." She reached into her clutch and pulled out the check Digg had given her when he'd picked her up, handing it over to the older woman and trying not to show her relief. She'd never had that much money on her in her entire life and she was more than happy to get rid of it.

Agatha Durring's eyes widened slightly as she looked at the check, her surprise quickly masked. "Well, this is most generous. You can assure him it will be put to good use." She quickly folded the check and slipped it into her purse before focusing again on Felicity. "So, Oliver tells me you're a fan of the theme of our newest exhibit."

Felicity nodded. "I've always been fascinated by Alexander's battle techniques. The ways he was able to defeat armies with different strategies and approaches, not to mention his weapons, are pretty amazing. They also come in rather nicely when trying to plot out your own strategy in a D&D game." She stopped, hearing Oliver's choked laughter in her ear and realizing she'd just totally gone on a geek ramble in front of one of the richest and most powerful women in Starling City. Thankfully, the older woman only looked amused.

"I think you'll find quite a bit to help you foster those strategies here," she said with a smile as Felicity's eyes widened. "My son was a fan of computer strategy games in his younger years, so I know a bit about gaming and strategy role playing."

Felicity was pretty sure her mouth was gaping. This was definitely not something she'd expected to hear from one of Starling City's elite.

"Focus."

Oliver's voice in her ear, although sounding slightly amused, brought her back to the mission. "Thank you again for allowing me such last minute access, I can't thank you enough." She knew it was the Queen donation that got her in, but she could bluff with the best of them when it was called for.

"It was my pleasure, and I believe I see the man behind the exhibit coming over, so please let me introduce you to him."

Felicity turned as she saw Lex Luthor approaching, a beautiful blonde on his arm. She'd seen pictures of him but in person, he was almost insanely better looking, his baldness giving him an even more mysterious yet strangely attractive look. Then again, she'd always had a thing for Yul Brenner so perhaps that had something to do with it. She tried to gather her wits and put on a smile as the couple approached.

"Lex," Agatha's voice was amused as she motioned for Felicity to come forward. "Let me introduce you to Felicity Smoak. Felicity is the head of Queen Industries IT department and is attending on behalf of Oliver Queen. Apparently, she too has a fascination with Alexander the Great."

Felicity smiled as she saw the assessing look the bald billionaire was giving her even as he held out a hand. Shaking it, she wasn't surprised to note he had as firm a grip as Oliver.

"Ms. Smoak, a pleasure to meet another Alexander fan, and such an attractive one." His voice was smooth and Felicity couldn't help but blush as he gave her a long look. She tried to ignore the hiss of breath she heard from Oliver in her ear. Obviously, he was not happy with the comment.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Luthor. You have an amazing collection." She was glad her voice sounded normal. She was doing okay so far.

"Thank you." His eyes assed her even as he continued. "So, you work for Oliver Queen. I've heard he's a changed man since his return." The curiosity mixed with a hint of bite in Lex's voice put her on edge. But then again, she remembered what Oliver had told her about their history. He probably had reason. Still, she didn't like hearing Oliver put down.

"I didn't know him before, so I can't offer any insight there," she replied carefully, "but I love my job now, even if half of it entails fixing Oliver. Fixing things for Oliver. Not Oliver himself, because he's just fine. A bit brooding, but apparently that's a thing after spending years on an island, or for billionaire playboys, come to think of it. Not that I'm saying you're brooding Mr. Luthor, or a playboy, despite your reputation, because I don't know you well enough to judge, and I'll just stop there now," she finished as she heard Oliver in her ear.

"Focus, Felicity." His voice was tense but she had little time to dwell on it as the sound of amused laughter from the blonde standing next to Lex registered.

"I like her, Lex. She obviously knows your type, and she says what she means and I find that refreshing." With a smile, the blonde held out a hand to a now surprised looking Felicity. "I'm Chloe Sullivan, nice to meet you Felicity Smoak."

Felicity took Chloe's hand, wondering just who this woman was, much less what she was doing with Lex. The tabloids always had him with a different woman every month, usually brunette, but never this woman.

"Nice to meet you too, Chloe. Sorry, I guess you can tell I tend to ramble." She tried to ignore Digg's snort in her ear and focus on the people in front of her.

"Chloe rambles with the best of them, Ms. Smoak, so you're in good company. She also handles most of the technology at Luthorcorp when she's not dabbling in other things, or trying to handle me." She was surprised to see the tender look Lex gave his blonde companion, the expression quickly masked as he turned back to face her. Well, that was interesting.

"I'm going to excuse myself a moment to take care of some business," Lex said as his gaze was caught by someone across the room. "I have a suspicion you two will find quite a bit to talk about," he finished, giving Chloe an amused look before moving off. Felicity noted the way Chloe's eyes followed him, worry evident for a moment before it was masked as she turned back and offered a smile. Something was up. The frisson of fear returned for a moment as she wondered if something else was going to get thrown into the situation tonight that could complicate things.

"So, Felicity, tell me what exactly you do for Oliver Queen. Because if he's anything like Lex, I'm pretty sure it entails a lot of PR efforts as well." Felicity focused back on Chloe, a grin emerging as she saw the conspiratorial look on the blonde's face. Aware that Oliver could hear every word, she chose her reply carefully.

"Oliver isn't the easiest person to work for," she began, ignoring the huff of breath in her ear, "but I admit, he really has a knack for screwing up computers." Chloe's laughter eased her worry a bit and for the next few moments, she allowed herself to chat with the blonde, not surprised, as Lex had noted, to find they had quite a lot in common. Chloe Sullivan could make a good friend, and potential ally, she thought, filing that away for future notice. Not to mention she was extremely curious about the relationship she and Lex seemed to have. It was definitely more than employee and boss, perhaps even more than friends.

They were in the process of trying to one up each other with the different computer issues both Lex and Oliver had, when she noted, from the corner of her eye, the arrival of the one person who hadn't put in an appearance so far tonight…Morgan Edge.

She felt Chloe tense next to her and heard the blonde mutter "what the hell is he doing here?" under her breath. Her glance quickly shot to Digg, who had been hovering nearby and she noted he'd seen the other man. She looked back to Chloe, her mind pondering the muttered words. Obviously Chloe knew Morgan Edge. And from her expression, it was clear that it was not a friendly relationship.

"Chloe, are you okay?" She was concerned by how pale the other woman had gone. The feeling that something was off hit her again and she tried to focus on what her senses were telling her.

"I'm sorry, I just saw someone I never expected to see here," the blonde said, an edge to her voice. "Would you excuse me? I need to talk to Lex." Felicity nodded, watching the blonde move hurriedly towards where Lex had his back to them, talking with another well-dressed man. Pulling out her cell phone, she lifted it to her ear as she spoke, knowing Oliver and Digg would hear her and everyone else would hopefully assume she was talking into her phone and not to herself.

"Something's up. Chloe knows Edge and she's not happy he's here."

"I got that." Oliver's voice was tense. "I know Edge had dealings in Metropolis, and with Lionel Luthor so it makes sense he'd know Lex, but something's off."

"I know. It's like there's something we're not seeing," she replied, brain trying to put the pieces together.

"Stay sharp, don't lose focus. Deadshot should be making his move any moment." Digg's voice, deadly serious yet somehow reassuring, had her shoulders relaxing a bit. She almost jumped out of her skin as she felt someone touch her lightly on her bare shoulder. Whirling around, she found a bemused looking man, wearing a suit, tie, and a pair of black glasses that looked quite a bit like her own.

"I'm sorry to scare you, but you dropped this." The man held out the small handkerchief that Felicity had tucked into her clutch before she left. It was sort of her good luck charm as her grandmother had given it to her years ago. She hadn't realized she'd dropped it, most likely when she'd pulled out her phone.

"I'll talk to you soon," she said into her phone, making a show of moving it from her ear and hitting the disconnect button before she took the handkerchief. "Thank you. I would have been very upset to lose this as my grandmother made it." She saw the man smile, only then noticing the brunette that was standing next to him.

"That's Smallville, always the knight in shining armor to someone," the brunette said with a laugh before holding out her hand. "I'm Lois Lane, this is my partner Clark Kent, we work for the Daily Planet."

Felicity held out her hand instinctively. "Felicity Smoak. I work for Queen Consolidated," she offered feeling both of them staring at her. Great. Two reporters were suddenly introducing themselves, this could not be good. She wondered why Lois' name rang a bell however.

"Breathe, Felicity. You've got this."

She took a deep breath at Oliver's words, mustering a smile. She almost lost it when she saw the intense look Clark was giving her. Almost as if he'd heard Oliver in her ear. It was an unsettling feeling that she tried to shake off.

"So, what brings you to Starling City? I can't imagine the museum exhibit merits more than a mention in your paper." She watched as the two exchanged a loaded glance. Once more, she realized that something didn't feel quite right about this whole situation.

"Lex is a friend, and Chloe's my cousin," Lois offered, her voice neutral. "We wanted to show some support and a chance to get out of Metropolis is always welcome." Felicity braced herself as she saw the other woman's eyes turn contemplative. "Besides, rumor has it there's an arrow shooting vigilante stalking the city, and well, that would be a story Metropolis readers would eat up."

Felicity felt warning alarms go off in her head. Lois Lane was onto something about the Hood. She was almost positive of it. Oliver's low curse in her ear alerted her to the fact he'd realized that as well. And then she suddenly realized why Lois Lane's name sounded familiar.

She was the reporter who had an in with Metropolis' own resident mysterious figure, known as the Blur. She hadn't paid the stories much attention, other than to keep them in a folder she'd started when reports of strange figures in various cities around the country had been reported. You never knew when that information could come in handy, especially in Oliver's line of night work.

Regardless, Lois Lane was a potential complication, if for nothing more than bringing unwanted attention to the hood and/or Oliver. She gathered her wits together, knowing she'd need them all to get through this.

"I don't know much about it, except that this figure apparently is trying to clean up the Glades, which I can tell you, needs all the help it can get right now." She was pleased to note her voice was clear and she wasn't fidgeting.

"I've heard mixed things, but if you happen to have any inside information, I'd love to talk to you about him." Lois' eager voice was stopped as Clark laid a hand on her arm. "Lois, let her be. I told you, tonight is about Lex and Chloe, not finding this vigilante."

Felicity's radar went on alert again. Trying to keep calm, especially as she noted Lex and Chloe approaching them again, she took a deep breath. "I wouldn't be much help. I'm an IT girl and computers are pretty much what I know best. I don't get out that much," she offered with a wry smile. "I'm only out tonight because I have a strange fascination with Alexander the Great."

"Nothing wrong with that, I happen to share it." She started as she heard Lex's voice behind her and turned to smile as he and Chloe approached. "Felicity, I see you've met Lois and Clark."

Felicity nodded as she saw Chloe give the other couple a hard look. "And from my cousin's look, I'd say she's been trying to pick your brain about this vigilante we've heard so much about." Chloe did not look happy.

Felicity felt a headache coming on. Things were definitely getting out of hand. And worse, she hadn't seen Edge for a while, although she trusted Oliver and Digg were watching him. Lex and Chloe looked relaxed but there was an air of tension hovering around them. Obviously, she'd told Lex about Edge.

"She was, and I told her, I don't know much. I don't get out a lot from behind my computers," she said again, hoping someone would change the subject.

"Well that is truly a shame as such a beautiful woman should be out every night. Oliver Queen must be a slave driver to keep such beauty away from an eager public."

She turned around at the unfamiliar voice, struggling to contain her surprise as she found herself staring at Morgan Edge. The man himself was wearing an expression that set her teeth on edge. But she called on every ounce of acting ability she had, what little that was, to try and look flattered.

"I'd thank you, but I don't usually accept compliments from men I don't know," she managed, glad to hear the lightness in her voice, in complete contrast to the tension she felt in her body.

"Then you should get used to it. And so we aren't strangers, let me introduce myself, although I'm sure you've heard of me. I'm Morgan Edge." He held out his hand and mustering her courage, she reached out and shook it. She pulled back as quickly as she could, masking her disgust as she saw his eyes skim over her body. Oliver's sharply indrawn breath let her know he'd seen what was going on from his perch, and wasn't happy. But, not much she could do about it now, she had to play this out.

"Mr. Edge, your reputation precedes you," she offered, her voice neutral, knowing she had to tread carefully around the man. There was a look in his eyes that made her very uneasy.

"Now my dear, I really hope you don't believe everything you hear." His smile remained but there was a hint of something sinister underneath it. "I certainly don't believe everything I hear about someone until I've actually met them." His smile tightened as he turned to Lex. "Lex, I do hope you're not filling Ms. Smoak's head with unsavory stories about me."

Lex's smile was easy but she could tell he was straining to be civil. She knew that look well, thanks to Oliver. "I hardly think I need to say anything to her about you Edge, after all, I hear you're making quite a name for yourself here in Starling City. But then again, you do always seem to find a new sewer to swim in."

Felicity drew in a breath at the intensity in the words, as well as the way Edge tensed. Yes, there was bad blood between these two and she had a feeling she didn't want to know what had caused it.

"Now Lex, if you aren't careful, someone might think you're slighting Starling City with all this talk of 'sewers.' After all, it's not every city that tries to comeback from a man-made earthquake." His voice was hard now, and Felicity tried not to look intimidated as he turned his gaze back to her.

"I'm sure it can't be easy for you, Ms. Smoak, working for a family that half the city believes responsible for the tragedy. It must be very challenging to bring the company back together with such mixed opinions on its CEO."

Felicity felt another warning bell go off in her head. Edge had to have a reason for bringing up Oliver's business. She was also annoyed at yet another slight to Queen Consolidated.

"Actually Mr. Edge, I have the utmost respect for how Mr. Queen is trying to make up for something he had no part in but has shouldered the responsibility for those that did." She gave him a tight smile even though she really wanted to hit him as he continued to give her a condescending look.

"Loyal to a fault, he's lucky to have you Ms. Smoak. Loyalty is a quality I prize in people."

"Only when you're getting something out of it, isn't that right, Mr. Edge?"

Felicity's eyes widened as she heard Chloe's voice join the conversation, noting that both Lex and Edge tensed up at her response. Obviously, there was backstory here. She wondered if it were important to how tonight was going to play out. At this point in time, she was pretty sure anything could happen.

"Touche, Ms. Sullivan, and might I say I am surprised to see you here tonight."

Felicity had to hide her grin as Chloe rolled her eyes, her arm linked with Lex. "About as surprised as I am. I didn't think you could show your face here, or anywhere, after some of the stunts you've pulled."

"Well, Metropolis holds a grudge," Edge said smoothly although his eyes were hard. "Starling City is providing plenty of new ventures and seems a bit more open to some of my business plans." He focused back on Felicity again. "Of course, there is the little problem of Starling City's own arrow wielding vigilante that's making some of my investors nervous. It seems you can't go to any town lately that doesn't have some type of masked person running around purportedly doing good."

Felicity tensed even as she heard Oliver curse again in her ear. The mention of the Hood wasn't accidental, she was sure of it. She also noted out of the corner of her eye, that Clark had gone rigid. She made a mental note to think about that later. Right now, she had to figure out how to respond without giving away anything that might incriminate Oliver or harm the Hood.

"Actually, if you look at what the Hood has done, he's actually helped keep the Glades and this city, safer than they would normally be in the aftermath of the earthquake." She gave Edge a hard look this time. "Crime and drug lords are coming out of the woodwork to get a piece of action in the Glades it seems and someone has to do something about it."

"Easy, Felicity." Oliver's voice was sharp and she stopped herself from continuing. He was right, she could already have said too much, judging by the looks she was getting from the people standing around her.

"So quick to defend this vigilante. One would almost suspect you knew more about him than most." Edge's voice was smooth but deadly. It took everything she had to keep her expression calm.

"I know he does good things for the city and that's really all I need to know," she managed, trying to ignore the curious looks Lois was shooting her. Wasn't it just fate that this all had to go down with Lois Lane there to witness it?

"You should be careful whom you put your trust in, Ms. Smoak. I've found more often than not, people will disappoint you when you least expect it."

She gave him a small smile. "And I've found that hidden strengths will emerge in people when you least expect it but often need it. Good always wins out in the end, Mr. Edge. It always will."

She knew it was probably a bit much, but she couldn't help herself. He was really getting under her skin and she found herself almost wishing Lawton would take his shot and end all of this. Because she was seriously wondering if she should bother to do anything to stop him from killing Edge.

"An idealistic if amusing world view, that I feel sorry to tell you will fade with time," he replied, an edge to his voice. "But, I suppose the world needs its optimists, as naïve as they are. And you my dear, I suspect, can't be all that naïve if you work for Oliver Queen in any capacity."

Felicity tensed, wondering if that was a dig not only at Oliver, but at his alter-ego. Edge couldn't know about the Hood, could he?

"You seem tense, Ms. Smoak, did I hit a nerve?" The condescending tone in his voice set Felicity's temper rising, and it took everything she could to stop herself from saying something she knew would only get her into more trouble.

"I'm used to dealing with men like you, Mr. Edge," she said, pleased her voice was cool, even as she told the lie. "You don't scare me."

"Perhaps I should," he said, his voice quiet, a look in his eyes that made an unpleasant shiver run down her spine. Still, she held her ground.

"Is that a threat?" She asked quietly, hearing Oliver draw in a harsh breath and seeing both Lex and Clark tense and move a step closer to her, obviously ready to come to her defense. It was rather sweet, if she thought about it. Which she couldn't as she was engaged in a battle of wits with Edge. She wondered if this one would be to the death. And she was thinking in terms of the Princess Bride in her head. Not good. She had to focus.

"I don't threaten," Edge said with a smug grin. "Especially anyone who has a connection to an arrow wielding maniac."

There it was, laid out on the table. Edge knew she worked with the Hood, which quite possibly meant he knew that Oliver was the Hood. Taking a deep breath, she willed herself to give nothing away in her expression.

"I wouldn't call him a maniac, but I think you're mistaken about my connection to him. He's saved me once or twice, but he'd do the same for anyone in need." She prayed that for this once, she'd make a believable liar.

"Oh, I think you underestimate your importance to him. In fact, I think it would be quite interesting to see just how fast he came to your rescue if you were in trouble."

Edge's words went off like a lightblub in her mind. And as ridiculous as it seemed, she knew why things had seemed off from the moment her intelligence had almost miraculously turned up the fact that Deadshot would be here tonight.

Neither Edge, nor Lex were Deadshot's target.

Oliver was. Or at least, the Hood was. And for whatever reason, she was the bait.

Her gaze flew to Digg, who had a stunned expression on his face. Obviously he'd figured it out too.

"Felicity, get out of there, NOW!" Oliver's yell in her ear alerted her to the fact that he'd become aware of the fact as well.

Her gaze, almost against her will, moved to focus on the upper corner of the balcony where she expected Deadshot to be. Until she realized that to do so, she had to turn her head. It wasn't in direct line of sight to where she was. It was directly behind her. Whipping her head around, she caught the glint of something metallic out of the corner of her eye…exactly opposite to where she'd just been looking…directly in front of and above her.

In the next instant, the world exploded around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: So...the gang's all here. For anyone curious about the Smallville crew, for them, this is an AU set somewhere after season 4 in which Lex went down a different path that didn't involve Lana or anything that happened thereafter. Lois, Chloe and Lex know about Clark, as in my world Clark and Lex are still friends, even though it can be strained at times as Lex tries to find the right path (Lex is not the big bad in my AU). But Chloe keeps him on it. And now that I've totally clued you into my AU world of Chlex... it really doesn't matter for the rest of the story unless you want it to! But wanted to clarify for the SV fans that might be reading and going 'WTF?' Sorry for the digression...but the action chapter is next! Then we get back to the Olicity...thanks for hanging with me!


	14. A Night at the Museum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all comes down to this...a rather nerve wracking night at the museum.

Felicity had always heard the saying 'time stops' but never believed it. Until this moment…with Oliver's cry echoing in her ear, Digg's stunned expression as he met her gaze, and the glint of what she knew in the rational part of her brain was a gun pointed directly at her. It was as if everything stopped as she simply stood there, in the cross-hairs of a dead shot. Literally.

"Felicity, GET DOWN!"

The yell, clearly audible from the balcony, and to everyone on the floor below, brought her world back into motion. She suddenly saw both Chloe and Clark were moving directly towards her from different sides. The move, however, put Chloe in the direct line of fire. Deadshot would have to go through the blonde to get to her and knowing his past kills, knew he wouldn't care. Acting on pure instinct, she threw herself at Chloe, pushing them both to the floor, even as she felt a hot wind and a stinging pain in her shoulder before the vase on the pedestal behind her exploded, glass raining down around them.

"Felicity!"

"Chloe!"

Felicity wasn't sure who was yelling their names, but the next thing she felt was a body land across her back. The force of the impact stole her breath, and she heard the blonde beneath her grunt at having the weight of two people land on top of her. She hoped she wasn't crushing Chloe, but whomever was on top of her was damned heavy.

She heard a swishing sound, then the ricochet of something, most likely a bullet hitting the floor, or the body on top of them. It was in that moment that she realized the person on top of her was shielding them both from the shots. But potentially becoming a target as she wouldn't put it past Deadshot to shoot through the heap of bodies to get to her.

Suddenly a loud gunshot rang out, echoing around the cavernous room, followed by screams. For a few surreal moments, she let herself just float, feeling nothing, no need to breathe, no need to do anything but just exist. Until she realized no more shots were being fired. Close on that revelation was the fact that she had no clue if Digg and Oliver were okay. Much less if Chloe was breathing under her and their protector's combined weight.

Coming back to herself, she began to struggle, needing whomever was holding her down to move. She felt the weight lift as hands drew her to her feet, seeing Chloe gasp in a breath beneath her before Lex was there, pulling the blonde up into his arms and holding onto her as if he'd never let go.

She was somehow not surprised to see Clark was holding her arms, a concerned look on his face. It was obvious he had been the body that had shielded them. Strangely enough, however, he didn't look injured at all, which surprised her because she was pretty sure Lawton had taken another direct shot at her, which would have meant putting a bullet through Clark as well. And Deadshot was not known for missing. She was about to ask Clark, who looked completely fine, what was going on when she heard Oliver in her ear.

"Felicity! Are you okay? Talk to me!" His frantic voice sounded like an explosion in her ear and she winced. But it was damned good to hear him.

"I'm fine, where's Lawton?" She managed, still out of breath, deciding to talk to Clark later as she turned to where she'd seen Digg before everything went down. He was still there, his gun aimed at a figure that she could see was teetering on the edge of the upstairs balcony. For a heart-stopping moment, she thought it was Oliver. It was only when she recognized the figure was dressed in black and white, not green that she breathed. Without realizing she was moving, she found herself headed towards Digg.

A second later, the figure fell forward, as if in slow motion, more screams filing the air around her as he landed in a heap on the floor in front of Digg. A green arrow protruded from his shoulder, another from the back of his left knee. A gaping hole was clearly evident in his back, obviously from a bullet that had gone straight through his body. Her gaze flew to the other side of the balcony and she saw the familiar hooded figure standing in the shadows, bow drawn. She breathed a sigh of relief as she reached Digg.

She watched as he moved over to the body, nudging it with the toe of his boot. She heard a moan and realized, to her shock, that Lawton was still alive. She knew the moment Digg reached the same conclusion. His expression was blank and cold and she shivered as she realized this was what he must look like in pure soldier mode.

She remained silent, oblivious to the world around them as Digg reached down and flipped Lawton over, uncaring of the arrows protruding from him or the gaping wound in his chest. He really was an unimpressive looking man without his gun, which lay at his side having been clutched in his hands when he fell. From the look he gave Digg, it was obvious they knew each other.

"You," was all Lawton managed to get out as Digg reached over and placed his foot on the other man's chest. Felicity couldn't help but feel vindicated with the moan of agony Lawton let out at the pressure.

"Me." Digg's voice was pure ice. "I told you I'd get justice for my brother. One way or another."

Lawton laughed weakly. "It doesn't end with me." Felicity moved closer to both men, knowing Oliver was listening as well. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted Clark appeared to be standing rather close to them, staring intently at Lawson, almost as if he could hear the man as well. "It's only just beginning. And it's only going to get worse." He coughed, head lolling back. It was obvious he didn't have long for this world. And Felicity couldn't help but feel happy about that.

"Who hired you?" Digg's voice was like steel.

Felicity watched as Lawton only smiled, struggling for breath. "You remind me of your brother. So determined. So foolish. Do you have any idea what's coming? Any of you?" He coughed again, and she could have sworn his eyes moved to Clark for a second before he refocused on Digg as his eyes started to close. "You should be glad he's not going to be here to see it." With that, his eyes shut and his body went slack.

Felicity moved forward, her stomach churning at Lawton's last words, but forcing the nausea down as she reached out to place a hand on Digg's shoulder. She winced at the searing pain that shot through her own shoulder at the movement, but ignored it. Her friend needed her attention now. He didn't move from where he stood, looking down at Lawton's body. He was so still, it almost made her want to check to see if he was even breathing. But then he reached up and placed his hand over hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She knew then that it was going to be all right.

"We're good," she whispered, knowing Oliver had been watching from the shadows but wanting to reassure him nonetheless. Before she could hear if he replied, it was as if the world had once more sprung back to life around them.

She was suddenly aware of people around her, of the police storming towards them. Digg and Lawton's conversation, that seemed to have taken place in their own world, had obviously only been a few seconds although it felt longer. And as reality began to seep in, she finally allowed herself to feel the pain that was shooting through her shoulder. Wincing, she pulled her hand back and tried to reach around to her back to feel what was injured. She whimpered as the move sent another jolt of pain through her.

"Felicity!" She heard Oliver's worried cry in her ear at the same instant Digg whipped around to look at her, an expression of concern on his face. Before she could say anything, he was at her side, turning her slightly to look at her back.

"Digg, is she okay? What's wrong?" Oliver's voice was frantic.

"Not a gunshot wound, but the bullet grazed you," he said quietly to her, but addressing Oliver as well. "You'll be fine once you're patched up."

Felicity closed her eyes, leaning slightly into Digg, feeling strangely euphoric despite the pain beginning to throb through her shoulder. "Looks like tonight you'll be playing Doctor with me, Oliver," she muttered, missing Digg's choked laughter and the strangled oath that came through her earpiece. She also missed the look of comprehension that came over Clark's face.

"Mr. Diggle, Ms. Smoak, why am I not surprised to find you two in the middle of this?" Sergeant Lance's voice penetrated her haze as she opened her eyes and turned to see him pushing through the crowd. He stopped as he noticed her shoulder. "Felicity, are you okay?" She was surprised to not only hear him use her first name, but also at the concern in his voice as his gaze shifted to her shoulder.

"I'm fine. Just a flesh wound," she managed with a small smile as she felt Digg put an arm around her waist. She leaned into him gratefully.

"Here, use this to stop the bleeding." Chloe's voice made her turn to see the entire Smallville group had now reached them and Chloe was holding out what looked to be a handkerchief. Digg offered no reply but reached for the cloth, applying it gently to the wound. Felicity bit her lip to hold back her whimper. She really didn't want to look weak with so many people watching.

"Get her out of there, NOW." Oliver's voice was tense and stilted and Felicity knew it was killing him not to be down there with them. Maybe even just with her. She smiled stupidly as she sagged against Digg.

"Damn girl, Metropolis art functions are never this interesting." Lois' somewhat irreverent voice in the middle of all the serious faces around her made her laugh. Wincing at the slight pain it caused, she managed to fix her gaze on the woman, who looked remarkably calm for being in the middle of an attempted murder.

"What can I say, Starling City has a charm all its own, crazy shooters included," she managed, feeling almost lightheaded now as she laughed. She suddenly sobered as she realized something. "Where's Edge?" She looked around the room, the others around her doing the same.

"I don't see him, but that doesn't surprise me." Lex's voice was sharp. "He always manages to avoid the aftermath of these types of situations." His eyes sobered as he looked down at Chloe, pulling her even more tightly to his side. Felicity wondered if Oliver would ever look at her like that. She didn't realize she'd been staring until Lex's voice broke her out of her trance.

"I can't thank you enough, Ms. Smoak. You most likely saved Chloe's life." His voice was strong and steady but his eyes told a different story. He was terrified of losing Chloe. She knew that look. She'd seen it before, many times, in Oliver's eyes. She managed a small smile.

"Honestly, it was instinct. I knew the shooter wouldn't hesitate to take anyone down to get to me, so I kind of just reacted." She gave Chloe a sheepish look. "Sorry if I nearly crushed you, although," she turned and gave Clark a wry look, "Clark might have crushed us both." She tempered her words with a smile as the man in question looked apologetic. "Don't apologize, you probably saved us both, so thank you," she said quietly.

Suddenly, she remembered her earlier question. "Seriously though Clark, are you injured? I could have sworn he took another shot at me, and that would have meant going through you." She noticed the way Clark suddenly looked uncomfortable, compounded by the way Lois, Chloe, and Lex were now staring at him. Something was definitely off here.

"I'm fine, trust me," Clark's voice was even but Felicity was pretty sure there was something behind it that she just couldn't quite figure out. "He must have missed, because I wasn't hit. I'm just glad you're both okay. I kind of reacted too as soon as I saw the bullets start flying."

Felicity gave him a contemplative look. Deadshot had taken several shots, judging from what she remembered of the exploding exhibits and sounds around her before Digg and Oliver could take him down. But obviously, nothing had hit Clark since he was standing there looking just fine. Interesting as she was pretty sure Deadshot didn't miss a target, even if she'd been on the ground. It was information she stored in the back of her mind to analyze later, when she felt more coherent.

"Either way, I have both of you to thank," Chloe's voice wavered for a moment before her body straightened. "And I can't thank you enough for saving my life." She detached herself from Lex and walked over to give Felicity a hard hug, being careful of her injured shoulder.

Felicity blushed a bit as she pulled back. "It's the least I could do, after all, you weren't the target and I couldn't let you get shot just because of me. It wouldn't have been polite," she tagged on at the end, pleased to earn a laugh from Chloe and a raised eyebrow from Lex.

"So you knew the killer? Who do you think hired him? And why would he want to kill you? And was your vigilante behind those arrows in his body?" Lois' voice was eager now and Felicity realized she probably shouldn't say anything else. Digg apparently agreed as he turned and gave a tense smile to the small group surrounding them.

"I'm sorry, but I need to get Ms. Smoak looked at." He turned back to Felicity and slid his arm around her waist again. "You okay to walk?" They both deliberately ignored the annoyed look Lois was giving them. Thankfully, Felicity noted from the corner of her eye, Clark seemed to be keeping a reign on the brunette.

Felicity frowned. "I'm fine, just a graze, some people have suffered worse and lived to tell about it," she said meaningfully in a low voice. Again, however, she noticed that Clark was watching them curiously, almost as if he'd heard her words.

"Regardless, let's go." Digg turned and held up a hand as Sergeant Lance attempted to stop them. "I will come down and give my statement to the police once I've made sure Ms. Smoak is attended to. Any other questions can wait."

Lance went quiet, giving them a nod. "Don't be too long once you figure out your story with your boss," he said quietly, and Felicity knew he realized this was something to do with the Hood. If the arrows in Lawton hadn't been a clear enough sign.

"Let me bring my limo around and get you to a hospital, it's the least I can do." Lex's smooth voice had Felicity turning to smile at him, even as Digg tensed.

"Not a problem, I already have the car being brought around, we'll take care of her." His voice booked no argument.

Felicity wondered if he'd realized he'd used 'we' instead of 'I' and on top of that, how he'd called for the car when he'd been with her the whole time. Still, it was clear Lex was going to protest and she really didn't need any more of a scene. Not to mention she was pretty sure Agatha Durring was headed her way and she really didn't want to try and explain anything right now.

"Trust me, I'll be fine. I'm just sorry I didn't get a better look at your collection. It's truly magnificent," she said wistfully.

Chloe's laughter made her smile as the blonde walked up to her, ignoring the way Digg tensed. "I'm so glad you're okay, and I really hope you'll give me a call when you feel up to it. I'd really like to get to know the woman who saved my life, a little better."

Felicity grinned. "Same here. I suspect there's lots of stories we can tell about Oliver and Lex in their younger years." Chloe's smile was answer enough.

"And if nothing else, we never finished comparing who has a bigger…computer budget." Felicity couldn't help but laugh at Chloe's comment.

"Really, Chloe? You're going there?" Lex's voice was strained, but amused as he turned and offered his hand to her. "Ms. Smoak, Felicity, please don't be a stranger." He paused for a moment, considering his words as Felicity watched him curiously. "And tell Oliver that perhaps we should meet and discuss business sometime. It's about time the past was put in the past."

Felicity waited to hear if Oliver deemed to respond to that in her ear, but when no answer was forthcoming, she simply nodded, giving Lex a tired smile. "I might just take you up on that." Giving him back his hand, she turned to look at Clark and Lois. "Thank you again for shielding me, Clark." She gave him a smile. "It was nice to meet you both as well," she turned to nod at Lois, "although I hope Starling City doesn't come off looking too crazy in your article," she said, biting her lip to hide her laughter at the sheepish looks on their faces.

"Just get your facts right, especially about the shooter." Her voice hardened as Digg tensed again at her side. "Floyd Lawton," she said quietly, watching as Lois noted her words, stopped from saying anything else by Clark's hand on her shoulder. She wasn't surprised to see a spark of recognition, there and gone, from Clark's eyes at her words. With everything that had already happened, it was only fitting that Deadshot would have had some ties to Metropolis. She added that knowledge to the growing list in her mind of questions she would ask later.

Much later. And after a lot of pain medication. She nodded a good bye to everyone and leaned against Digg as he moved them swiftly through the crowd. She barely noticed the flashbulbs going off around her, or the reporters screaming questions at her as she let Digg lead her down the museum steps and to the waiting car. But, she wasn't going to think about the media vultures right now. Besides, her shoulder was really beginning to hurt. All she really wanted at the moment was some Advil and some quiet.

And Oliver.

She sighed as she slid into the car, wincing as the move jarred her shoulder a bit. "I'm fine, John," she said through gritted teeth as Digg looked at her in concern. "Just get me out of here." She sighed as he closed the door hoping the bottle of Advil she knew he kept in one of the side compartments was still there.

She gasped, then swore as she felt a pair of familiar arms come around her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, everyone survived (except Lawton) and now we deal with the aftermath, which includes some lovely Olicity moments in the cave, some observations by the Metropolis crew, and the final set up before Olicity can have their 'lesson.' Stick with me, I promise it's going to be good! And thanks to all those reading, commenting and giving me feedback. It only makes the muse work faster...but I adore and thank you all!


	15. (Un) Expected Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, I am NOT a medical doctor so please, if some of this seems off or completely unrealistic, well, chalk it up to artistic license and the fact Felicity was just 'grazed' by the bullet. Go with the flow for the story, I think you'll enjoy it! Great thanks to my beta for this, _**sarahberah1121**_ who is phenomenal. And please, if you're from the government, don't over analyze my search history which is filled with things like "poison, deadly poisoning signs, etc." It's all for the love of fiction!

Felicity winced as the arms tightening around her sent a flash of pain through her body.

"Sorry," Oliver's voice was apologetic, but his arms didn't move from her waist. She sighed, leaning her head back until it came to rest against his leather clad shoulder, careful to keep her weight off her injury. "I had to make sure you were okay." His voice was gruffer than normal but it still sent a tingle down her spine.

"I'm fine, the bullet just graze me, it could have been worse." She sighed as she felt him push her gently forward, pulling the handkerchief away to look at her wound.

"Really, Oliver it's just a scratch," Felicity yawned. "I'm really just tired and sore. And thirsty. Why am I suddenly thirsty? I wasn't a minute ago." She paused, as she felt a strange, almost rusty taste in the back of her mouth.

"Felicity?" Oliver's voice was concerned but Felicity didn't really notice.

She was trying to figure out why the taste of rust in her mouth was not a good thing. At that same time, a flush of heat swept over her body. For a moment, she thought it was because Oliver's fingers were stroking lightly over the skin around her wound. When she suddenly broke out into a cold sweat and a wave of dizziness overcame her, she knew something was wrong. "Oliver? I don't feel so good," she managed. "I'm suddenly really hot, and dizzy," she muttered, leaning more heavily against him. The next thing she felt was her body going into convulsions.

"Felicity, what's happening?" Oliver's voice sounded panicked now but everything was suddenly fading away as she felt herself being jerked down a long, steep tunnel. She barely heard Oliver curse before everything finally went dark.

~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~&~

Oliver had never been so relieved in his life as when he'd pulled Felicity into his arms in the back of the car. Ever since the horrifying moment he'd realized that she was Deadshot's target, in an effort to get to him, he'd felt as if he was on autopilot. He hadn't thought, just let his first arrow fly, watching as it struck Lawton in the knee, causing his arm to jerk as he felt forward. He didn't realize it then, but later, looking back on what happened, where Felicity had been, he realized that if he hadn't distracted Lawton, there was a good chance his bullet would have hit Felicity's chest instead of grazing her shoulder.

He'd watched as Lawton tried to take another shot, but Digg's bullet had caused his body to jerk again, his aim once more off. Just to be sure, Oliver had fired a second arrow at the man, aiming for his shoulder. He was pretty sure Digg had already made his own kill shot, but he wasn't risking Lawton getting any more shots off at Felicity.

Once assured that Lawton wouldn't be firing anymore, his gaze frantically searched the crowd for Felicity. He'd felt relief like he'd never known as he'd watched her being pulled to her feet by Clark Kent. She looked ok, and her confirmation in his ear a second later had him releasing the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding.

It had been hell to have to stay in the shadows, watching Digg and the group from Metropolis help Felicity. He should have been down there, holding her, reassuring her, being there for her. But, he knew that he needed to stay out of the mix as much as possible. Lance would no doubt know it was partly his work, the arrows kind of gave that away, but he was thankful the man wasn't going to call attention to it. Especially with the _Daily Planet_ reporters right there in the center of things. The last thing he needed was more publicity, in a different city nonetheless, for his alter-ego.

He'd had a moment of panic at Felicity's groan, his sharp gaze picking up the trace of red he only noticed now against her bare shoulder. Everything in him screamed to jump off the balcony, sweep her off her feet, and get her away from the crowd to make sure she was ok. But he had to settle for Digg reassuring him it was only a graze. For a moment, something caught at the corner of his mind. There was something he'd forgotten or that he should remember, but he just couldn't bring it into focus. It didn't help that all his instincts shouted at him to get to Felicity.

Still, once Digg had assured him Felicity was okay, he'd slipped out of the building and gone for the car, knowing the sooner it was brought around, the sooner he could get to Felicity. He'd parked the car at valet and slipped into the back. Thankfully, no one was paying him any attention. They were all focused on Digg and Felicity as they came down the stairs. He watched in concern, noting how heavily she was leaning on Digg, and he made a vow, then and there, that he would put an arrow through whomever was responsible for this. He would relish it.

He hadn't been able to stop himself from pulling her into his arms as she'd settled into the car. The feel of her against him did more to calm him than anything. He hated the fact she'd been injured, but he was pretty damned proud of how she'd acted. But he was never going to put her in a situation like that again. He hoped. With the lives they led, however, one couldn't be sure of anything.

He was gently stroking the puffy skin around her shoulder when he registered her words about being thirsty, then hot. When her body suddenly went into convulsions in his arms, he knew she was in trouble. And what he hadn't been able to remember before suddenly became all too clear.

"Digg, she's going into convulsions and she's burning up!" He frantically felt for a pulse in Felicity's neck, noting it was weak, but it was still there. Her breathing however was ragged as her muscles jerked underneath the skin. "Damn it! How the hell could we forget that Deadshot laces his bullets with poison?" He held Felicity closer, feeling more helpless than he could ever remember. Digg's answering curse didn't make him feel any better.

"Damn. It's my fault. I thought about it when I saw the wound, but as it was only a graze, and she seemed fine, whereas Lawton's victims were usually on the ground suffering immediately." Digg's voice was tense. "But Felicity was fine, she didn't show any signs other than pain, why is she being affected now?"

"It's got to be a slow acting or delayed reaction poison," Oliver's voice was shaky as he clutched Felicity closer. "And it's got to be strong, because she was grazed by the infected bullet, not shot with it." He held her tighter as the convulsions wracked her body. "Just get us to Verdant as fast as you can. Hopefully, the herbs work on whatever this is."

"Working on it." Digg's voice was tense even as he took the next corner like he was an Indy 500 driver. Within minutes, they were pulling up to the club and Oliver had Felicity in his arms, out of the car, and was running for the back door before the car had fully stopped.

Seconds later he and Digg were pounding down the stairs, and within moments, had Felicity laid out on the metal table. Oliver started throwing herbs into a bowl and pounding them together while Digg hooked Felicity up to the machines, struggling as her convulsions made the action harder. "Hurry it up! Her breathing's getting shallower and the convulsions are getting worse!"

Oliver felt pure, ice-cold fear run through him at Digg's yell, even as he finished his mixing and added a bit of water to turn the concoction into liquid. Felicity didn't have much time, and if this didn't work… But he wasn't going to think like that. He was going to save her, these herbs had worked magic before, he just hoped they would again.

"Here, get this in her," he said, handing Digg the concoction. As his friend started pouring the mixture down Felicity's throat, a difficult task as her head kept jerking in time with her body, he immediately began mixing up another batch of herbs, this time using just enough liquid to make the concoction into a paste. "Put this on the wound, it should help draw out anything that shouldn't be there."

Digg's raised eyebrow didn't phase him. He'd learned a lot about the power of these specific plants when mixed together. They hadn't failed him yet and he hoped they wouldn't now. "Just do it, okay?"

Digg simply nodded, turning Felicity onto her side before sticking his fingers in the paste and applying it to the wound. When that was done, he turned her onto her back, thankful to see the convulsions had at least slowed. "Now what?"

"We wait." The agony in Oliver's voice as he came to Felicity's side was matched by the look in Digg's eyes. "It takes about five minutes to get into the system and get a poison out. But if this is a new type of poison, something that takes longer to manifest, it might not work…"

"Don't go there, man." Digg's voice was slightly unsteady, even as he rested a hand on Oliver's shoulder. "She's a fighter. She's going to be fine."

Oliver said nothing, the fear and worry almost crippling him. He reached over brushed a strand of hair out of Felicity's eyes. She looked so pale, so helpless, so completely unlike his warm, funny, gorgeous, lively Felicity. God, what if he lost her?

"I can't lose her Digg." He wasn't even aware he'd started talking, his hand still stroking her face as her body seemed to calm. "I just realized how much she means to me, how much I need her, I can't lose her!" He brought his other fist crashing down on the table next to him, sending a group of medical tools flying to the floor.

Digg remained silent, although if Oliver had looked at his friend, he would have seen the other man was in just as much agony as he was. Still, Digg's grip remained strong on his shoulder and Oliver had to admit he was glad he was there.

What seemed like hours, but really was only minutes, passed. Suddenly, Felicity's body began to seize again on the gurney.

"Oliver, hold her down! Don't let her hurt herself!" Digg's words barely penetrated Oliver's mind as he was already trying to hold her arms down, heart nearly stopping as she started choking. He suddenly realized what she was trying to do and turned her to her side, just as she vomited up the contents of her stomach. Her body wretched several more times and Oliver simply held her head, stroking her hair, whispering soothing words even though she hadn't opened her eyes. It was as if her body was reacting on instinct. Finally, she settled down, a small twitch every now and then the only movement of her body.

"Felicity?" His voice broke as he frantically felt for a pulse in her neck. He closed his eyes as he felt it, stronger than before. "Her heartbeat's stronger," he said, noting Digg was looking at the monitor, a relieved expression on his face.

"The herbs must be working. At least they're getting whatever's in there out of her system. I hope" Digg watched as Felicity's vital signs began to return to normal and her breathing evened out into a relaxed pattern. "I think she's out of the woods, for now."

Oliver felt a tear slip down his cheek as he pressed his forehead against Felicity's. "Don't you dare leave me Felicity Smoak. I can't live without you." He whispered the words against her ear, hoping she'd hear them, hoping she'd open her eyes and look into his. But she remained still and silent.

"Oliver, we probably need to figure out what poison that was, it might have more side effects or need different treatment." Digg's voice was solemn as he quickly cleaned up the mess on the floor, leaving a bucket nearby in case Felicity got sick again. Oliver tried to focus, his gaze still locked on Felicity's pale face.

"I know, but I'm not sure what it would be, although," he paused for a moment, "some of the symptoms, even the delay, are somewhat similar to strychnine poisoning, so I'd start looking there." He stroked a few strands of hair from Felicity's face as Digg headed for the computers.

"On it." Digg's voice was impassive now as he started punching buttons. "She better come out of this because I'm pretty sure I'm screwing up her system," he muttered, trying not to think about the worst case scenario. It only made him more determined to figure out what was doing this to her as he used some of the tools the blonde had been teaching him to access her various search engines.

"It might be a long shot, but maybe Edge has something to do with it?" Oliver wasn't sure where the thought had come from, but something told him it was the right track to take. He saw Digg's almost imperceptible head nod as the other man started changing his search perimeters.

"There's a blog post from one of Felicity's more sketchy sources that mentions Edge making some deal with a pharmaceutical company, but nothing about what drugs might be involved." Digg ran a hand over his head. "It's a long shot, but it's all we've got. I'm going to see what I can find out about Kane Pharmaceuticals."

Oliver didn't reply, his gaze locked on Felicity. She was breathing normally and her skin didn't feel as hot. The convulsions had stopped but she hadn't woken up. That worried him. He knew the herbs could counteract many things, but then again, he knew there would be a time he tempted fate too far. He just prayed this wasn't that time. He didn't think he could handle it if it was.

There were so many things he still wanted to show her, to tell her, to share with her. He'd begun to do that on their Saturday nights but now that he had realized how he felt about her, there was so much more. The thought of him not getting to show her who he was, what he'd suffered, how he'd survived, and what he hoped their future, together, would be…unimaginable.

Oliver Queen was a man who had learned to live with his demons. In his innermost mind, he rationalized it was his burden, his punishment, for the things he'd done before the island as well as while on it. In some ways, he truly believed that anyone who cared about him would get hurt, that he'd hurt them, and that he deserved to be alone the rest of his life.

But then Felicity Smoak had entered his life. She'd made him want to live again, to actually be a better person than he was before. His brilliant blonde accepted every part of him, challenging him, teasing him, yelling at him, but never faltering in her belief that he was a good man. She'd become one of the most important people in his life and the thought of losing her, especially before he could tell her how he felt…

"I think I found something!"

Oliver jumped at Digg's words, head turning towards his friend but not leaving Felicity's side. "What are we dealing with?"

"I'm not sure yet." Digg clicked a few more links. "Apparently Kane Pharmaceuticals has just acquired a controversial patent for a new drug to combat Alzheimer's disease."

"Controversial how?" Oliver's voice was sharp.

"Because it uses a synthetic form of strychnine in it. Nothing over the illegal amount, according to the patent, but it's a coincidence I'm not buying."

Oliver thought for a moment. "The convulsions, the delayed reaction, it does sound a lot like strychnine poisoning but it's very hard to make it into a liquid, and a powder would be hard to coat a bullet in."

"If your herbs have some kind of charcoal, or properties like that, I think they must have countered most of it, because there's not a lot that can be done to treat it other than to try and get it out of the system. And hopefully, there wasn't that much in her system, unlike if the bullet had actually gone into her chest." Digg's voice faltered over the last words and he rubbed a hand over his forehead.

"But she's breathing, her heart rate's back to normal, it's been more than five minutes, so she's going to be okay, right?" Oliver knew his voice was frantic, but he didn't care right now.

Digg sighed. "I don't know. All this is guesswork. We just have to wait and pray she wakes up."

Oliver closed his eyes, fighting back the despair that seemed waiting to overwhelm him. He cursed silently at whatever being up there in the sky had chosen to give him Felicity, only to threaten to take her away. He cursed his enemies and himself for bringing her into the mess of his life in the first place. He cursed whomever was behind this as he was going to take great pleasure in putting an arrow through them. And he had a pretty good idea who that would be.

"If Edge owns the company, I'd say it's a safe bet he's involved. And he will pay." His voice was deadly but Digg only nodded.

"I'll check with a few of my contacts in the morning, see if they know anything about this merger, or about what Edge has been up to." He frowned. "And from how he was talking to Felicity, it's probably safe to assume he knows Oliver Queen and the Hood are connected. Or at least, Felicity's connection to you both."

Oliver's face hardened. "Edge is going to be a problem we'll have to take care of. Soon." He turned back to Felicity, his voice softening slightly. "But not until I know she's okay." He leaned over her again, brushing his lips against her ear, tears in his eyes, as he begged her to come back to him.

"Come on Felicity, open those beautiful eyes. Come back to us, come back to me, I love you so much and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," he murmured, uncaring if Digg heard, leaning down and brushing his lips across hers.

He pulled back as he felt her lips move under his, looking up to see her eyelid's flutter for a moment. His heart leaped into his throat.

"Felicity, come on, you can do it, wake up," he murmured, running his fingers across her cheeks, stroking them gently as he pleaded with her. He brushed his lips across hers again, willing her to awaken with every fiber of his being.

A second later, her eyes opened and he felt something that hadn't been right in his heart suddenly settle as he looked into her beautiful orbs. "Oliver?" Her voice was strained and soft, and he pressed a finger to her lips before she could say anything else.

"You're fine. You gave us quite a scare, but you're okay." He leaned over and pressed his lips to her forehead. "You're okay, you came back to me," he kept whispering against her skin. He'd never felt a greater relief than when he felt her soft breath against his face. She was going to be okay.

"What happened?" Felicity felt groggy, tired, and as if she'd just survived a bout with the stomach flu as every muscle in her body ached and she had an awful taste in her mouth. Her shoulder was killing her as well. Images of a museum, Digg, gunshots, Oliver and Clark swirled in her brain as she tried to orient herself. But all she could figure out was that she was in the basement in Verdant, on the medical table, with Oliver Queen whispering how glad he was that she'd come back to him. What the hell had happened?

"Lawton's bullet had some form of poison on it that caused a delayed reaction in your body." Digg's voice was steady, although his hand shook slightly as he walked over then reached out to clasp her hand. "We should have thought about it earlier, but you seemed fine, until we got you in the car."

Felicity swallowed hard, squeezing her friend's hand as she saw the agony on his face. "Well, obviously you figured it out, and I assume, since I'm here," she looked up at Oliver, who had taken her other hand, "you used some of those magic herbs on me and all is well?"

Oliver's choked laughter sent a pang through her body. "It's a bit more complicated than that, but you're awake and your vitals seem normal, so I'd say the herbs worked. I still want you to get checked out by a doctor though, just to make sure."

Felicity frowned. "Right, I can hear that conversation now." She grimaced as she shifted slightly to ease the pressure on her shoulder. She smiled her thanks at Oliver as he moved to help her sit up, feeling slightly better now that she was upright. A little shaky, still very weak, but all her other systems seemed fine.

"You probably should get checked out, just in case there are any other residual effects from the drug, even though it was a light dose from the bullet just grazing you." Digg sighed. "Although considering it is experimental, and we don't have a sample of it as we assume you got most of it out of your body, that might not help. At most, you're right, the conversation with the doctor would be awkward."

She turned at Digg's words, eyes confused, only part of his words registering.

"Lawton had an experimental poison on his bullets? And you know this how?" She raised an eyebrow as the two men exchanged looks.

"You're not the only one who can do an Internet search," Digg finally offered, a hint of a smile finally back in his eyes, mixed with the relief. "Your computer training paid off."

Felicity gave him a small smile. "Normally I'd say something about messing with my babies, but in this case, thank you." She smiled as he simply nodded. Something then occurred to her. "Does Edge have something to do with this?" She shivered and looked at Oliver. "I got the distinct impression he knew more about you, and your alter-ego than he let on."

"We're pretty sure there is a connection, although you'll probably have to dig deeper than we did to physically connect things." Oliver's voice was resigned. "And I got that Edge probably knows I'm connected to the Hood. But right now, I really don't care. I'm just glad you're here, awake, talking to me. I thought I'd lost you."

His voice trailed off and Felicity felt another pang in her heart. He'd really been worried about her. And the way he was looking at her, even after coming back from the brink of death, sent her heart racing. But she knew he needed reassurance more than romance right now.

"Hey," she reached up with her good arm and gently cupped his face. "I'm going to be fine. You saved me, I saved Chloe, Digg got vengeance, and I think we won tonight." She smiled into his eyes. "And best of all, no one got seriously hurt. That's a win in my book." She sighed as she saw his mouth tense.

"You nearly died. I'd say that's serious," Oliver's tone was clipped, his eyes stormy.

"Maybe, but you two," she turned to smile at Digg, "saved me. It's what you do, and I can never thank you enough." She watched as both men looked embarrassed. "Take the thanks when you can, I don't know when I'll say that again." She was glad to see them both smile.

"Noted," Digg's voice then turned serious. "I still think we should keep an eye on you tonight, just to make sure there's no other delayed effects."

Felicity grimaced. "Honestly, other than the shoulder pain, I feel better." She looked at Oliver. "One day, you're going to have to tell me what's in that magical mixture."

Oliver remained silent. Felicity sighed. "Fine, don't tell me. Keep it to yourself, Medicine Man," she muttered, glad to hear him stifle a laugh.

"Still, I think you should be monitored…"

"John," Felicity's voice was soft, "I am going to be fine and Oliver can certainly take care of me. Right now," she gave him a sympathetic look, "I think you should get home to Carly. You've worried enough about me and after all, it was kind of a big night for you as well. Are you okay?" She watched as his shoulder's stiffened, his gaze turning hard for a moment. That emotion disappeared quickly.

"Now that you're okay, I'm fine." His voice was even. "My brother would have been proud of what we did tonight, and now, I know the man who killed him won't get a chance to kill anyone else." His voice softened. "And I can finally tell Carly that it's over, that her husband's killer is dead."

Felicity smiled. "Then why don't you go tell her that?" She saw him begin to protest before she held up a hand to silence him. "No arguments. We can't really do much more tonight, so I say you go home, get some sleep and then spend some quality time with Carly. It's been a long time coming."

Digg was silent, but the small smile that crossed his face a moment later told Felicity he was going to take her advice. She smiled as he came over and gave her a hard hug, being careful of her wound.

"You're sure you're okay?"

She nodded. "I'm fine. Go to Carly. Tell her we said hello, when the moment is appropriate." Pulling back, she watched as he turned to gather his things. Once he was ready he turned back to Oliver and offered his hand.

"Thanks for having my back." The two men exchanged a look that said more than words as Oliver took the hand and shook it.

"We're family," he said quietly, gesturing between the three of them. "Family protects each other, and are there for each other. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Felicity smiled, glad to see any bad blood over Lawton had apparently been put to rest. Plus, she really liked that Oliver called their team a family. They were her family. She just hoped Oliver saw her as more than a little sister. All things considered, she was pretty sure he didn't, but then again, she could never be sure with Oliver.

"Okay, get some sleep yourself, and let me know if anything else comes up, okay?"

Nodding and promising to keep him in the loop. Oliver and Felicity watched him go. When the door had closed behind him, Oliver turned to Felicity. When she smiled into his eyes his heart completely melted. Even pale and worn out she was the most beautiful thing he'd seen in years, maybe ever. Without realizing he was going to do it, he leaned down and brushed his lips across hers again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good stuff to come, I promise! Thanks for sticking with me and keep letting me know what you think! The muse and I appreciate everything!


	16. The Truth Comes Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but life has been hectic. Here's the next chapter, thanks for sticking with me and thanks again to my beta **sarahberah1121** for polishing me up and offering great feedback. Enjoy!

Felicity's eyes went wide. She wondered if she were dreaming, although for some reason, his lips on hers felt familiar. But no, as Oliver pulled back, she could read the intent in his eyes. It made her tingle in places she probably shouldn't, at least after having had two near brushes with death in the past few hours.

"What was that for?" Her voice sounded slightly uncertain, her breath coming in short puffs as he cupped her chin with his fingers. Any lingering effects of the poison were quickly fading away as she registered the wonderful feel of his skin against hers.

"That was something I've wanted to do for months," he admitted, watching her carefully for a reaction. It was almost amusing to see her contemplate and then reject ways to interpret that through her facial expressions.

"Months?" Her voice was unsteady, her heart still pounding.

"Probably, if I'm being honest, since the moment you looked at me and started babbling about how I wasn't my father." His eyes were amused as she looked at him like he was crazy.

"Right. And that's why you dated Helena, McKenna, and Laurel." She paused, biting her lip, knowing she had to ask the next question. "And speaking of Laurel, what happened between last night and tonight that has you suddenly deciding you want to actually follow through on kissing me?"

Oliver sighed as he leaned down and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, the other sliding under her knees. He ignored her protest as he lifted her effortlessly. "I'll tell you, but let's move this over to the couch, you can't be comfortable on this table." He was pleased when she simply rested her head on his shoulder, allowing him to carry her towards the large sofa she'd insisted on during the remodel.

Carefully settling her onto it, being extra careful of her injured shoulder, he reached for a blanket and pulled it over her as she stretched out. Then, he settled onto the floor, resting his head on the edge of the sofa in her direct line of sight.

Felicity remained silent, knowing the ball was in Oliver's court. Although her pounding heart was probably giving away how nervous she was to hear his reply. She was pretty sure she knew what he'd say, but wasn't going to take anything for granted. She might feel like a limp noodle, and ache all over, but she didn't want to be anywhere else right now.

"Laurel and I," Oliver sighed, looking away for a moment, contemplating, before turning back to face her. "Laurel and I are over. We both had a conversation last night where we realized we just weren't working together." He sighed. "We were both too caught up in the past to realize what was going on in the present."

Felicity's eyes widened. "What exactly is going on in the present? Because last night, it looked like you both were very much together." She couldn't help the hurt she felt at remembering them laughing and talking.

"Last night it looked very much like you and AJ were together," Oliver replied dryly, seeing he'd managed to silence her for the moment. "Regardless, Laurel and I had a long talk and realized that we're better friends. Besides, she's in love with Tommy."

"Really? In spite of being with you for all these months?" She was skeptical.

Oliver nodded, prepared for her reaction. "She's been seeing Tommy more, and we both came to this decision last night. Besides," his gaze turned predatory. "I don't know any woman who takes it well when the man she's out with can't keep his eyes off another woman."

Felicity swallowed hard, wondering how to interpret that. From the look in his eyes, she could probably take it literally. But she had to be sure.

"Are you sure, Oliver? Because you two have a connection that I can't even begin to understand," she began, only to be silenced by his finger over her lips.

"Laurel and I are over. She's not the woman I want." His voice lowered and Felicity felt her heart nearly stop again at the heated look in his eyes. She contemplated his words again, wondering how to reply. She knew how she wanted to, but wondered if tonight was really the right time to do so. Before she could say anything, Oliver continued.

"Spending all this time with you, being normal, or as normal as my life can be," he laughed wryly, "I realized that Laurel and I never could have done that. We were never comfortable enough with each other to look past the surface, before and after the island." He looked deep into her eyes, reaching out to brush several strands of hair behind her ears. "You're the only one I can see myself being, well, myself with." His voice deepened. "You know me better than anyone in this world Felicity Smoak, and when I nearly lost you tonight," he faltered, then continued, "I realized that I didn't know what I'd do if you hadn't woken up."

Felicity felt tears in her eyes at his heartfelt words. Reaching out with her good arm, she cupped his cheek in her palm. "And so you kissed me just now because you were grateful?" Her voice wobbled against her will, but she couldn't tear her eyes from his.

"I kissed you because, as I said before, I've wanted to for months." He leaned in until his breath was ghosting across her lips. "And I'm going to do it again because I can."

She barely had time to gasp as his lips took hers. This time, there was no hesitation as he devoured her lips as if he were starving and she opened to him easily, letting his tongue duel with hers, responding in kind, nipping at his lower lip and earning a low growl that sent shivers down her spine. Good ones this time.

When she finally had to pull back for air, she wasn't surprised to find she felt shaky. He'd just completely blown her away with a simple kiss. She'd never responded that passionately or that quickly to anyone. And it was most definitely much, much better than her fantasies.

"You've had fantasies about kissing me? Do tell Ms. Smoak." His amused voice made her realize that she must be feeling better if her brain to mouth filter was off again. She felt a blush rising in her cheeks even as she shrugged.

"Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?" She gave him a small smile. "What sane girl wouldn't fantasize about you? Especially after you almost kissed me last week." She bit her lip as she saw his eyes darken.

Oliver's voice was husky. "I wanted to kiss you so badly. And I admit, I had a few fantasies about what would have happened had I done so." He watched as her eyes went out of focus and he knew she was imagining the same thing.

"Well, I'm just sorry it took a crazed assassin and fear for my life that made you finally overcome your issues," she teased gently.

"Don't forget that idiot you were out with last night," he said, only to be stopped by her hand.

"Don't you dare say anything about AJ. You were with Laurel, as far as I knew, and I like AJ. He's a good friend. He saw right through me and called me on my feelings for you." She watched his eyes darken with something that she thought might be jealousy. It sent another shiver down her spine.

"But he had his hands on you, I didn't like that." His fingers were now stroking over her neck and around her collarbone, his voice intense and focused.

"Well, you don't have to worry, we're just friends." She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. It was doing wonders for her aching body. "Besides, I can't imagine that he would have wanted anything romantic with me when I couldn't keep my eyes off you all evening, even when we were dancing."

Oliver's eyes darkened again. "I sent you that dress, planned our original evening because I couldn't get the image of you dancing with him out of my mind." He swallowed hard before continuing. "I wanted to replace your memories of him with memories of me. I wanted to make you forget about everything but me."

Felicity felt tears in her eyes again. "I did. I can't tell you how excited I was about our night. Even if I wasn't sure where things stood with you and Laurel." She sighed. "Even putting this dress on for the mission, I have to admit, all I could think about was what you'd originally had planned."

He closed his eyes as the events of the night played through his mind again. "And look at how it all turned out." He opened his eyes again, reaching out to trace the blood-stained strap of her green gown. "Not exactly the evening I had planned."

Felicity sighed. "Me either, but at least we're both here, at the end of it. And," she gave him a smile as she leaned in and brushed her lips over his, "it resulted in our first kiss. And let me tell you, I won't forget it."

Oliver groaned, turning it into a laugh as he realized he really couldn't do much more about his desire tonight. But he could make her smile. And maybe kiss him again. "I won't either. Although, technically, our first kiss was when you were out like Sleeping Beauty." He watched as she looked at him in confusion. He smiled and reached over to stroke her cheek.

"You kissed me while I was unconscious?" Felicity was trying to make sense of his words. Then she winced. "If you tell me I woke up after you kissed me-," she stopped as he nodded, a stupid grin on his face. "Really? You kissed me and I came out of a coma, or more like a near-death experience as a coma suggests a longer period of unconsciousness?" She knew she was starting to ramble, but she couldn't quite wrap her mind around what he was saying.

His gaze turned serious as he leaned in and brushed a softer, but just as intense kiss over her lips. "I thought I was going to lose you. I didn't know what to do. I just wanted you to know how I felt, so I kissed you."

Felicity felt tears at the back of her eyes at the emotion she could hear again in his voice. If she had any doubts about how he felt, he was doing a hell of a job to get rid of them. Not to mention he'd just told her he'd unintentionally re-enacted a scene directly out of a fairy tale.

Reaching forward, careful of her shoulder, she cupped his face in her palms. "Let me say, you make a very nice Prince, Oliver Queen," she teased.

Oliver smiled at her play on words. "I don't know about that, but you can be my Queen any day," he returned in kind before leaning over to kiss her again. When they finally parted for breath, Felicity couldn't help but let out a huge yawn, despite the desire in her system. Oliver smiled again.

"On that note, I think perhaps you should get some sleep." His voice was gentle as he settled her back into the sofa. "I'd take you home, to your more comfortable bed," his voice deepened and he forced the images of Felicity and her bedroom from his mind for the moment, "but I want to keep you here tonight, just in case."

Felicity nodded, yawning again. "Probably best, although," she frowned as she looked at him, something she'd wanted to know all day suddenly returning to her mind. "Are you ever going to tell me what you originally had planned for tonight?"

Oliver gave her a heated look. "I'm still planning on making it happen, so it's still going to be a surprise." Standing, stretching as he rose, he enjoyed the way her eyes roved over his body. "After all, I think it's about time we continued our education, hopefully, with some added benefits from here on out."

Her heart beat faster at what he meant but her mind was too tired to give it too much thought at the moment. It would provide for pleasant dreams, however, she hoped.

"I'll hold you to that." She shifted on the couch again, suddenly realizing something else. "And while I'm thinking about it, I don't suppose you'd happen to have anything more comfortable for me to sleep in? This dress is rather constricting," she asked, catching her breath at the look in his eyes.

"I think I can find something," he managed, walking over to the duffle bag he kept in the corner of the room. Pulling out a spare t-shirt and an entirely too large pair of sweatpants, he walked back over to her. "These work?"

Felicity nodded, sitting up again, glad to feel the pain in her shoulder wasn't as bad now. And the dizziness had passed. Taking it slow, however, she managed to stand, wobbling only a bit as she felt Oliver reach her side, arm sliding around her waist as he steadied her. She sighed, relaxing into him, enjoying the feel of simply being next to him.

"Come on, let's get you out of this dress," he whispered in her ear, glad to feel her shudder. His breath caught as she turned to look up at him, her eyes filled with a simmering desire that sent arousal once again coursing through his body.

"I definitely imagined you saying that in a totally different situation. A very non-platonic situation," she teased him with an echo of a conversation they'd had months ago. His groan made her smile.

"You're evil Felicity Smoak." Still, he leaned down and kissed her hard and long, pleased to see her eyes were dilated and smoky, and she was unsteady on her feet again, when he pulled back. "I admit, this wasn't the situation I imagined when I said I wanted to get you out of this dress, but I'll take what I can get."

She laughed as he led her to the bathroom, and true to his word, helped her slip the t-shirt over her head before she managed to slip the straps of the dress off her shoulders, letting it fall to a heap on the floor. She was glad the dress left no room for a bra as she didn't relish the movement it would have taken to get it off. Giving him a teasing smile, she reached for the sweatpants and quickly pulled them up. Once more comfortably attired, she leaned over and gave him a quick kiss, before gingerly reaching down to grab the dress from the floor.

"Get changed, then come join me on the couch, I think we both could use some rest." With that, she headed back for the couch, sinking gratefully onto it as she heard the water running in the bathroom. Her brain was still on overload, with everything that had happened this evening.

She still wasn't sure if it was all a dream, but for the moment, she was going to enjoy whatever it was. Closing her eyes, she smiled as she remembered his lips on hers, and the passion that they'd ignited. It was so much better than her fantasies.

Oliver felt a funny twist in his heart when he returned to see Felicity asleep on the sofa, a smile on her face. It was a far cry from the weak, pale, almost lifeless Felicity of a few hours ago. He shivered once more at how this night could have ended up, but quickly pushed that down. He didn't want to think about anything but falling asleep with Felicity in his arms. He had a suspicion it was going to be difficult to sleep without her from there on out.

Moving quietly so as not to wake her, he settled himself onto the couch, (which actually was quite comfortable and roomy) spooning their bodies together, smiling as she snuggled into him. He was careful to keep any weight off her injured shoulder, but managed to entwine their lower bodies quite nicely. Feeling more content than he had in years, he closed his eyes as he buried his face in Felicity's golden mane and allowed sleep to take him. And for the first time in months, if not years, there were no nightmares.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
 ** _A Starling City Hotel…_**

"Well, that was certainly an interesting end to the night."

Lex grimaced as he took off his jacket and tie. "That is an understatement if I've ever heard one," he replied before moving over to take Chloe in his arms. For a moment, he simply breathed in the scent of her, realizing how close he'd come to losing her.

"I'm fine, Lex. Thanks to Felicity, and Clark." She smiled up at him in reassurance, gazes exchanging more than words could say.

"And an arrow shooting vigilante." Lois' wry voice made Chloe frown as she turned to face her cousin, who was curled up against Clark on the large sofa in their suite.

"You're positive this vigilante was involved?" Lex's voice was curious even as he pulled Chloe down onto the loveseat with him.

"Lawton had two arrows sticking out of him. Green arrows. I think it's safe to say the vigilante was involved." Lois bit her lip. "And even safer to say that Felicity is working with him."

Clark sighed. "The three of them, the bodyguard, Felicity and," he stopped for a moment, "this vigilante," he went on, ignoring the look Lois shot him at the pause, "they were obviously expecting this to happen. I could hear them talking to Felicity through an earpiece," he finished by way of explanation.

"But I don't think they thought Felicity was the target." Chloe's voice was musing as she relaxed against Lex. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd thought the target was Edge, or even you, Lex," she offered, seeing his eyebrows rise.

"Regardless, the shooter was Floyd Lawton. Otherwise known as Deadshot." Clark's voice was even. "That can't be a coincidence, we've dealt with him before where Edge is concerned."

"I'm pretty sure Edge was behind everything," Chloe said quietly. "We know he's got the resources to hire a sniper, the question is, why would he want this vigilante, or Felicity for that matter? And what does that have to do with whatever scheme Edge is planning now?" She noted that Clark looked like he wanted to say something, but remained silent. She made a point to ask him about it later.

"I don't know," Lex's voice was contemplative. "There's a bigger picture we're not seeing here and that's what worries me." He sighed as he felt Chloe snuggle closer to his side.

"Well, if Felicity doesn't call me in a day or two, I'll call her." Chloe's voice was amused. "I really think she, and perhaps this vigilante, maybe even Oliver Queen could be interesting allies," she finished, rolling her eyes as Lex tensed.

"I don't know about Oliver Queen, he had quite a reputation in his day," Lex said, bitterness in his tone.

"Right, and I could say the same thing about you, Lex Luthor. Or are you going to tell me you are proud of what you did when you were younger?" She gave him a hard look.

Lex wisely remained silent.

"That's what I thought." She settled back against him, turning her gaze to the other couple. "Although I don't want you going all reporter mode on her, Lois." She stopped her cousin's protest with a raised hand. "I know you. I know you want to question Felicity on a lot of things, but don't. Okay? "

Lois sighed and nodded. "Okay, but only because this vigilante could prove helpful. And if what Clark overheard Lawton say, about this only being the beginning, we might need all the help we can get."

Clark frowned. "I wish I knew what he meant, I don't like not knowing what's out there. With Edge, or this vigilante." He wanted to mention to his friends that he had heard Felicity call the vigilante, or whomever she was communicating with "Oliver," but realized that now might not be the moment. Besides, he wanted to make sure he had his facts, and his suspicions right before he told them. And after he'd done a bit more investigating into Oliver Queen.

"Big surprise, Smallville." Lois gave him an affectionate smile to soften her words. "We'll figure it out and making new friends, super or not, along the way can only help."

The four continued to chat about the night's events, Felicity Smoak and Oliver Queen, and their plans for the future long into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that the major 'action' is done...I think the next few chapters will be getting back to the education. But imagine the twists and turns that can take now that feelings are out in the open. :) And just what did Oliver originally have planned...


	17. Date Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date night for Oliver and Felicity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's been so long. Real life has been killing me with 'real' work. But here we go, more of Oliver's education continues. Thanks so much to my beta _sarahberah_ and everyone for staying with this and encouraging me with lovely notes and messages. I love hearing from you!

Felicity winced as she felt muscles pull tight across her shoulders as she leaned back in her chair and stretched. Gently lowering her arms, she rubbed a hand across her forehead. She had the beginnings of a headache, but wasn't too concerned. After all, she'd had her own two personal 'doctors' breathing down her neck all week, which was enough to give any sane woman a headache.

But she couldn't help but smile at the changes in her relationship with Oliver. While he'd been worried about her, he couldn't seem to stop touching her, be it a slight brush of his hand over her neck as she was pulling up information on the computers, or a quick kiss, stolen when he'd drop by her office for some ridiculous reason that made her smile, even if she had to remind him to shut the door if they were going to be engaging in anything non-business related. This more demonstrative Oliver was a bit unsettling at first, but she'd gotten used to it and by now, was enjoying it.

Digg hadn't said much, but his smile when he caught them together was enough to tell her he understood and hopefully, approved. Then again, he could just be happy she hadn't died on them, but she liked to think he was rooting for her and Oliver. Not to mention she was pretty sure the two men had talked about her while waiting for her to wake up. It was in the looks they exchanged when they thought she wasn't looking. She found she really didn't want to know what that conversation might have covered.

Either way, aside from the increased touching and kissing in the wake of her near-death experience, nothing about their daily lives had altered that radically. Edge had disappeared into the woodwork but she was working on figuring out what he was up to. Now that Deadshot was gone, Digg seemed to have turned his attention to getting Edge, which worked nicely as Oliver had made it his newest mission to bring the man down. Part of her thrilled to the idea that it was because they believed (as did she) that he'd been behind the plan that had almost killed her, but another part knew they were just doing what they always did, bringing down another bad guy.

But, despite that intensity, the week had progressed as normal, and now it was Friday afternoon and she was ready for the weekend. Especially since Oliver had promised that what he'd planned for last weekend was a go for this one. She shivered as she imagined what he might have in store, especially now that she knew he felt a lot more for her than just friendship.

In fact, she'd had several intense dreams about just that this week. Apparently, Oliver Queen was the perfect antidote to poisoning, as every time she felt a little weak or unsteady, she thought about the desire burning in his eyes as he'd looked at her, or the way it had felt to finally kiss him like she'd wanted to for what seemed like months. It made her feel weak and unsteady in an entirely different way and if some of those feelings had evolved into more X-rated dreams about just what he could do to her with those lips, hands, those biceps…

Her ringing cell phone jerked her out of her pleasant fantasies and she quickly took a deep breath, realizing her heart was still racing at the rather vivid images she'd just been imagining. Still calming down, she paid no attention to the caller ID before she answered. Thoughts and dreams of Oliver fled quickly from her mind as she recognized the voice on the other end of the call.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oliver waved good-bye to his secretary, finally done and headed out for the day. He couldn't deny it had been a hell of a week and he was more than anxious to get the weekend started. The thought of how Felicity would react to what he had planned made his heart skip a beat and his blood pump faster through his veins. He couldn't wait to see her face when he showed her their 'lesson' for the week, especially as he now had the ability to make it even more personal than he'd hoped. That was of course, if no villain, masked man or woman, insane drug dealers, or vigilante want-to-be's tried to kill, maim or poison either of them.

As he waited for the elevator, he thought about the varying emotions he'd felt all week, ranging from relief that Felicity seemed to be suffering no ill effects from being poisoned, to amazement that she felt the same way he did. Even more, that she seemed willing to explore whatever it was that was growing between them. He couldn't seem to stop touching her either, needing to feel the warmth of her skin against his fingers, or his palm as they were working on something. When the desperation took over, he found himself headed for her office, to steal a kiss if nothing more, unable to be away from her long periods of time. Thankfully, she didn't seem to mind, only once reminding him that anyone could walk in so he probably should shut the door behind him when he had things other than business on his mind.

Which was why he was going to stop by her office before he left and see if she wanted to grab dinner with him. He knew what he had planned for Saturday, but he really didn't want to wait until then to spend time with her. Besides, he hadn't kissed her yet today, and he was determined to rectify that problem within the next five minutes.

He had to force himself to slow down as he exited the elevator on Felicity's floor and headed down the familiar hallway to her office. He nodded to several people who offered him a nod or glance as he passed. He knew the office gossip mill was in full force, with the amount of time he'd been down here this week alone, but he'd be damned if he'd give them anything more to go on. So he made his way to her office, his laptop under his arm as usual, to give the impression he was visiting her for her computer expertise. Not that he suspected it worked, but he was determined to keep up appearances for as long as he needed to.

Without knocking, he breezed through the door, coming to a dead stop as he saw her sitting at her desk, staring at her cell phone that was resting on the desk in front of her. Her completely bemused expression wasn't enough to make him think something was wrong, but she was unnerved about something. His radar went on alert.

"Felicity, you ok?"

Felicity jumped at Oliver's voice, her gaze jerking from her phone to his. She gave herself a mental shake before gathering her thoughts and turning to offer a smile. "Sorry, I'm fine. I just had a very, interesting conversation with Chloe Sullivan."

Oliver's radar went on immediate alert. "What did Chloe want?" He knew his voice was tense but he couldn't help but think Lex Luthor's girlfriend calling Oliver Queen's girlfriend (at least, he hoped Felicity considered herself that even if they'd never quite gotten to naming what it was between them yet) was not a good sign.

"Nothing bad," she hurried to reassure him, reading his expression all too well. "She wanted to make sure I was okay after the gala, and extended an invitation to lunch next week, in Metropolis."

Oliver frowned. "She wants you to go to Metropolis for lunch? That seems a bit extreme, don't you think?"

Felicity gave him a wry look. "She works for and is dating the owner of a multi-billion dollar company. I work for and am dating," she paused, feeling something ease in her heart as Oliver smiled at the words, "the owner of another multi-billion dollar company. Somehow, flying me out for lunch in Metropolis doesn't seem out of the question on either end."

Oliver sighed, moving over and placing his hands on her shoulders. He forced his body to calm as he heard her low moan of pleasure as he began kneading the tense muscles. "So, what's your take on the whole Metropolis group?" He frowned. "We never did talk about them, and I have to admit, I wonder how much they know or picked up."

Felicity struggled to keep her mind on the conversation, as her body was awash in sensation from what he was doing to her tense shoulders. He really did have magic hands. But he'd asked her a question and he deserved an answer.

"I think they know more than they're saying. Chloe said she wanted us to get to know each other, and added that she thought we could be good friends, as well as making a few thinly veiled allusions to the fact that QC and Luthorcorp would be interesting business partners." She sighed, closing her eyes as his hands tightened a bit on her shoulders, the aches and pains slowly easing away.

"So, you think I'll be getting a call from Lex next week?" He wasn't sure how he felt about that. While he hadn't come into contact with his former classmate at the gala, he'd heard most of his conversation with Felicity. It made him edgy.

"Could be, but I don't know." She thought for a moment. "But something tells me we can trust Chloe, and the Lex I met last night seems a lot different than the one the media, and you," she craned her head to give him a look, "keep talking about."

Oliver frowned again. "I'll admit, he sounded different from what I got from his conversation with you, but I don't know. Lex has always been an enigma and if nothing less, I've learned to be wary of him. People like Lex don't change all that much." Felicity's bark of laughter made him frown. "What's that for?"

Felicity sighed. "You do realize that 'people like Lex' could very well refer to Oliver Queen, before the island." She felt his hands stop for a moment on her shoulders, and pushed on. "You certainly changed, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that Lex could have too." She bit her lip. "I'd venture a guess that Chloe had a lot to do with that."

Oliver hated to admit it, but she had a point. "I don't know, but I see what you're saying. After all," he leaned over and brushed a kiss over the skin below her right ear, "you are one of the main reasons I am figuring out the new Oliver 2.0 I want to be."

Felicity whimpered and tried to keep her body under control. It wouldn't do to attack her boss in a place where anyone could walk through the door. Which he had, as usual, forgotten to close. Still, she couldn't stop herself from twisting her neck to meet his lips with hers, the kiss quickly deepening as his hands cupped her face and pulled her closer.

When they parted for air, she was breathless, and slightly dazed. "A girl could get used to that," she muttered, hearing him laugh as he pulled back, but kept his hands on her shoulders.

"Then get used to it, because I don't intend to stop it," he managed, loving how she sank back against him, showing with words and actions that she trusted him completely. It was humbling and overwhelming but freeing at the same time.

"So, aside from distracting me, was there a reason for this ever so pleasant visit?" She grinned as she heard his laughter.

"Actually, I came to see if you wanted to grab dinner with me somewhere, your choice," he asked, hands tensing as he realized he truly had no clue how she'd respond.

Felicity felt her heartbeat accelerate at his words, realizing that he was asking her out on a date. Suddenly, something occurred to her, and she turned her head to his again. "This isn't because we're not on for tomorrow night, is it? Because I was really hoping to see what you had planned for my dress and getting me out of it." She stopped, blushing as she registered her words. Not so much for saying them, but for the forwardness of them. His laughter was more like a growl and it sent a shiver down her spine.

"Oh, we're on for our Saturday lesson, believe me," he whispered, his eyes darkening as he thought of the plans he'd made. "But, I realized as I was filling out the millionth piece of paperwork dealing with stocks and assets, that I didn't want to wait until tomorrow to see you." He paused. "In a place that doesn't reflect either of our two jobs."

Felicity grinned. "So, you're asking me on a dinner date?" She wasn't sure why she felt unease as she waited for his response. He'd pretty much spelled out the fact that he wanted to spend time, away from work, with her. But she'd learned not to take anything he said for granted.

"Yes, I am. Will you have dinner with me, Felicity Smoak?" He held his breath as she watched the different expressions come and go over her face. He let a breath out as she smiled and nodded.

"Sounds like a good plan to me. I missed lunch today, so you better be prepared to feed me," she teased, feeling her body tingle at the smile he gave her.

"I'm always prepared, Felicity, you should know that." His voice was teasing but his eyes were dark. She shivered again at the flush of desire that seemed to be enveloping her body.

"Well, then, you 'prepared' with letting me pick the place?" She watched as a slightly hesitant look crossed his face, but was quickly replaced with a smile.

"You haven't steered me wrong yet, so go for it," he managed, feeling something tug at his heart at the brilliant smile she gave in reply. At this point, he'd probably go anywhere she asked.

"Okay, let me shut things down and we're out of here." She quickly turned her attention to closing down her computer and setting up what she'd need for Monday. All the while she was aware of Oliver's intense gaze following her, and had to stop from turning and throwing herself into his arms and begging him to forget all about dinner.

Oliver watched her with an amused, yet aroused gaze as she shut down her computer and gathered her things. He felt his body tense as she turned and walked to his side, leaned up, and pulled him down for a quick but passionate kiss. "What was that for?" he asked when he could finally breathe, his heart nearly pounding out of his chest. He was seriously reconsidering dinner and seeing what trouble he could get up to with her right there on her desk.

Felicity smiled as she saw the heat in his eyes, forcing herself to calm down, wanting to take her time exploring this new dynamic between them. But she really did like knowing she could kiss him whenever she wanted. Smile widening, she linked her arm through his. "Just because I can," she replied winking at him. "Now, let's go, I'm starving and a hungry Felicity is not a pretty Felicity."

Oliver laughed, pulling her arm tighter to his side as he led her towards the door. He couldn't wait to see what she had in store for him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Twenty minutes later Oliver found himself following Felicity into what looked like a dive bar upon first appearance. It wasn't in the worst section of the Glades, but it wasn't in the safest section and his protective instincts had gone up the second she'd told him where to park. She assured him that it was safe, that she'd been here before, and to 'trust her.' And because he did, he pushed down his misgivings and let her lead him into the Blue Note Lounge, although he kept her pressed tightly to his side.

His eyes widened in surprise as the door closed behind him and he took in the décor. It was obviously bigger on the inside, and decorated in pale purples and blacks. Tables, booths and chairs were laid out in a semi-circle around a main stage, where a small jazz quartet was performing. The entire feeling was of a cozy, laid-back, jazz club reminiscent of years past and he felt his shoulders relax.

He tensed up again as a handsome man in a suit walked up to them and pulled Felicity into his arms. He frowned as he watched her hug the man back, a smile on her face. Instinctively, he moved closer, slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her back against him. The man looked to be close to 50, but he didn't like the easy way he seemed to have with Felicity.

"Oliver, met Terence Rutherford, he runs this place. Terence, this is Oliver Queen." She hid her grin as she watched Oliver reluctantly release her waist to shake the other man's hand. She hadn't missed how he'd pulled her closer, nor his eyes boring into the back of her head as she'd hugged her old friend.

"Mr. Queen, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you from this one."

Oliver sensed the amusement in the other man's words, but he didn't sense anything threatening. He relaxed a bit and offered a small smile. "I wish I could say I'd heard about you, or this place, but someone," he frowned at Felicity, "is good at keeping secrets."

"I'd better be in my line of work," she offered cryptically, raising an eyebrow as she could see she'd made her point by the chagrined look on his face.

"Either way, it's a pleasure to have you both. Felicity your usual booth is available if you'd like it."

Felicity nodded, grabbing Oliver's hand and pulling him with her as Terence led them over to a booth that had a wonderful view of the stage, but with tall walls, gave a sense of privacy. It was her favorite booth, as she could see the stage, but also everything around her. Digg and Oliver's lessons about being on guard and aware of the situation around you had sunk in deeper than she'd realized.

When they were seated, she smiled as Terence gave them both menus. "So, what's Gina got cooking tonight? Any chance there's something with shrimp involved? And maybe some of her cheddar sourdough rolls?"

Oliver watched in fascination as she and Terence went over the menu items, noting that their conversation was peppered with more personal questions. It was obvious Felicity, Terence, and this Gina person went back a long way. He found himself extremely curious as to what their history was, realizing again, and not without some unease, that Felicity had a life outside of QC and Verdant's basement.

"Oliver?"

Her voice made him aware that Terence had disappeared and she was now staring at him curiously. He smiled, glad to see how relaxed she looked. This place suited her. "Just wondering how you know Terence, and this Gina, and this place." He looked around again. "In all my years living here, I don't think I've ever heard of this place."

Felicity grinned. "That's probably because you wouldn't have stood a chance getting in in your more rebellious years," she said, laughing at his wounded look. "But more to the point, Terence and Gina took the place over about six years ago, and completely remade it into this. Both are from New Orleans and said Starling City needed at least one real nightclub that featured authentic jazz music and Creole cooking." She paused as she looked towards the stage. "I've seen quite a few good jazz groups and ensembles in the years I've been coming. You can't find this anywhere else. Not that that's a dig at Verdant," she added quickly. "Because Verdant is cool and hip and all that, and it's where you go to be seen in Starling City, and it's doing quite well, for being the cover for Arrow's lair." She stopped herself, seeing his amused look.

"So, tell me how you found this place?" Oliver was curious, even though he was distracted by how attractive she looked in the dim light of the restaurant. She seemed alive, vibrant, glowing in a way that made his heart beat just a little faster. Not to mention he loved learning about this side of her, the side that obviously liked jazz and Creole enough to be on such a familiar basis with the owners.

"When I started working for QC, I was pulling a lot of long nights, as your company had just implemented a new data system and things were constantly crashing, usually after 7 at night." She paused as a waiter delivered the wine and two glasses to their table. Nodding, she watched as he uncorked the bottle, pouring a little into the glass and offering it to her to taste. Inhaling the fragrance, she took a small sip, the flavor bursting over her taste buds. She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the taste. "That's lovely, thank you." The waiter nodded, pouring two glasses before leaving the bottle on the table between them.

Oliver, for his part, had watched enthralled. He'd had to shift in his seat as he'd watched her almost blissful expression at tasting the wine. Certain parts of his body had jumped to attention at the almost orgasmic look that crossed her face as the wine slid down her throat. He tried to calm his body down when the waiter left, breathing deeply as he took a sip of the wine.

It was really, really good, he had to admit.

"It's not expensive, but it's good," she said with smile. "Anyhow, I was tired and frustrated and really didn't want to go home one night, when I remembered I'd overheard two people in Tech services talking about this place. So, I decided to try it out, and Terence happened to be working. We got into a discussion over red wine and Etta James, and I've been coming back ever since."

Oliver's eyes widened. "You're an Etta James fan?" He wasn't sure why that surprised him, he knew Felicity had varied tastes, but it did.

"She's one of my favorites." She took another sip of wine, her eyes turning soft. "My grandmother used to sing me to sleep with "At Last" whenever I'd visit." She laughed at Oliver's confused look.

"Not exactly a song I think of singing to a child at bedtime," he offered, enthralled by the way her eyes sparkled as she talked.

Felicity shrugged. "I worried a lot as a kid. About everything from whether my parents would come back to pick me up, to if a tornado was coming, to if I'd ever find my Gilbert Blythe. She'd always tell me to have patience and then she'd sing that song." Her smile turned wistful. "She always said she'd never do it the justice Etta did, and made me listen to that record over and over. It kind of stuck," she said, looking over to see he was completely immersed in her words.

"Your Gilbert Blythe?" Oliver wasn't sure why out of everything she'd just said, which gave him new insights into Felicity, that was what his mind had stuck on. "Let me guess, your first love, or your first kiss?" He frowned when Felicity looked at him like he was crazy. "What?"

Felicity laughed. She shouldn't be surprised Oliver had no clue what she was talking about, most guys didn't, but it made her realize that there was another part of his education she might just have to include in their lessons. She could only imagine his reaction.

"You could say that. He was the first boy I really fell in love with, although sadly, he didn't return my affections." She sighed dramatically. "Those were reserved for a red-haired orphan with an extensive vocabulary."

Oliver frowned. "I find it hard to believe anyone could have as extensive a vocabulary as you," he smiled as she looked offended. "I meant that as a compliment, you're the smartest person I know, this Gilbert was a fool. Not to mention, it's kind of a weird name."

Felicity couldn't hold back her laughter. "Remind me one of these weekends and I'll introduce you to the man who ruled my childhood dreams." She grinned at his confused expression figuring it was best to let him stew right now. "So, back to our original subject, that's where I got my love of Etta from, and along the way, I picked up a fondness for jazz. It just soothes me in a lot of different ways."

Oliver felt himself falling a little harder as he watched her eyes sparkle and her hands move as she talked about herself. Not to mention it gave him a whole new perspective on what made Felicity, Felicity. And he couldn't wait to figure out what to do with that knowledge.

"Okay, I've monopolized this conversation so far, so why don't we figure out what we're ordering, then you can tell me all about how you discovered Etta James." She grinned at him. "Or, you could tell me all about your first love, fair's fair."

Oliver laughed. "Raisa listened to a lot of jazz when we were kids, she liked to cook with it on and while it wasn't my favorite at the time, there was something about Etta's voice that I liked, although I never told her that."

Felicity smiled at the images now going through her mind, delighted at getting to learn something that she was pretty sure no one else did about Oliver. Plus, she now had a picture of little Oliver listening to Etta James while Raisa made dinner. It was almost too adorable for her brain to comprehend.

Several minutes later they'd both ordered, mainly on Felicity's recommendations, and they settled back into a comfortable silence, letting the music ebb and flow around them. Felicity was feeling slightly buzzed and not a little amazed that she and Oliver were here, at one of her favorite places, that was obviously new to him, on a date. For a moment, she wondered if she were still dreaming.

"What's going through your mind?" Oliver's voice held a smile as he watched thoughts come and go in her eyes. She really was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. And he'd hurt anyone who told him differently.

"Just wondering if I'm dreaming all this," she offered truthfully. "Last week I was certain you could never feel anything more than friendship for me. Then you confessed your feelings, and well, I didn't honestly think I could ever be this happy. Despite nearly dying along the way." She regretted the last words as she saw the anger flash in Oliver's eyes. "Hey, no brooding or blame. I'm fine, we'll get Edge, sorry I brought that up and let's not let it get in the way of our evening, ok?" She could see his eyes were still stormy and knew she had to get him distracted.

"So, I seem to recall you saying something about your first love," she offered, reaching over and slipping her hand into his, glad when he interlaced their fingers and squeezed hers. "Although, I'm pretty sure you broke a lot of hearts in your elementary years." She was glad to hear him laugh.

"I told you what those years were like, especially at a boarding school," he said, a gentle smile on his face. "Not a lot of room for romance for a third grader, although I did have a huge crush on Raisa's daughter Britt."

Felicity almost choked on her wine at the deadpan expression on his face. "Raisa has a daughter? I didn't know that, not that I'd have any reason to know that, but still, she was hot?" She laughed at his expression.

"Totally. She was about five years older than me and sometimes she'd watch us while Raisa was cooking or doing something." He smiled at the memory. "She was, I think, the first real girl I had a crush on, and I still remember how happy I was when I managed to get her to kiss me."

Felicity raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He laughed.

"Okay, it was a good-bye kiss, and it was on the cheek, she was leaving for college. I think I floated on air for days." He came back to himself, feeling just slightly embarrassed at what he'd revealed. But the soft look in Felicity's eyes made him realize he could, as always, tell her anything and she'd understand.

"You ever see her anymore?" She couldn't help but imagine young Oliver in the throes of a major crush and it brought a sense of happiness to her that she hadn't felt in a long time.

"She's married, and a doctor in upstate New York, I think with a kid. I haven't seen her since I've been back," he paused for a moment, feeling her squeeze his hand as she gave him a moment to collect himself. "I really should ask Raisa how she's doing."

"You're a good man, Oliver Queen," she said with a smile, rubbing her thumb over his fingers. "And I bet she regrets not kissing you when she had the chance. I know I do." She stopped, blushing at her words. "Did I just say that out loud?"

Oliver was intrigued as he registered her slip of the tongue. "You regret not kissing me? Do tell," he said, his eyes darkening.

Felicity swallowed hard, struggling to remember to breathe. It tended to be a problem when he looked at her like that. But she wanted to answer him.

"Every time you came to my office with a stupid request, I wanted to kiss you," she said frankly. "Each mission you returned from, bruised, broken, or satisfied, I wanted to kiss you." She looked him directly in the eye, her voice low and breathy. "Every damn time you got on that salmon ladder, well, let's just say I wanted to do a lot more than just kiss you." She stopped, noticing his pupils were almost completely blown, his iris' dark and stormy. She had to take a sip of wine to get her own body back under control. What that man could do with a simple look...

Oliver thought he'd felt desire before. But, he realized, as he listened to Felicity describe every time she'd wanted to kiss him but hadn't, it was nothing compared to what he was feeling now. Images were bombarding his brain of what might have happened if she'd have actually followed through. His hand tightened on hers as he stared into her eyes, seeing the pulse pounding in her throat. He was just about ready to drag her forcibly from the restaurant when their food arrived.

Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly released her hand as the waiter put the plates down before them. He watched as Felicity gathered herself, turning to offer a thank you to the smiling young man. When he'd left, they stared at each other for a moment, the tension having abated slightly.

"Ok," Felicity's voice was slightly strained but thankfully, sounded relatively normal. "Let's shelve that conversation for a more appropriate time and place, when we WILL continue it," she said, a flash of fire in her eyes. "But right now, you need to try that gumbo and tell me honestly, if it isn't the best thing you've eaten in years."

Oliver smiled into her eyes, feeling his body begin to relax, although the desire still simmered, just under the surface. He was glad she was refocusing them, because the last thing he wanted to do was rush into things, especially with what he had planned for tomorrow night. Anticipation was a good thing…if it didn't drive him crazy in the process. Smiling, he took a bite of his food, and found, to his surprise, it was, indeed, some of the best gumbo he'd ever had.

"Told you you'd like it," she said as he realized he must have said the words out loud. That tended to happen the more often he was around Felicity, he realized.

They managed to keep the conversation light after that, focusing instead on getting to know each other better. Oliver was not surprised to find that what he'd learned about her over the past month through their lessons was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Felicity Smoak. She truly was one of the most interesting people he'd ever known.

Felicity, for her part, was pleased to learn a bit more about what Oliver had been like as a child, his exploits with Thea as kids, and even some of his more legendary adventures with Tommy. She was glad that the memories of his best friend didn't seem to be so painful, glad to hear him laugh and reminisce over some plan that had gone terribly wrong. It was allowing her to see even more sides to Oliver Queen, and she was fast realizing that every one of them only made him more attractive.

Once they'd finished the meal, they'd settled into a comfortable silence, enjoying the music and the atmosphere, and the knowledge that neither of them had anywhere else to be but here, right now, with the other. When the music tempo changed, Oliver's eyes turned towards the stage and he noticed people had begun to take to the small dance floor, swaying in time to the bluesy music. With a smile, he slid from his seat and offered Felicity his hand, enjoying the surprised expression on her features.

Felicity, to her credit, kept silent and simply took his hand, letting him pull her from the booth and across the room to the small dance floor. Her heart rose into her throat as he pulled her tightly to his body, no space between them, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, his banding tightly around her waist. Her head settled against his shoulder and she gave herself over to the feel of being held tightly in his arms as they swayed together to the beat.

Neither said a word. They didn't have to. Their bodies communicated silently as they moved in perfect time together, unaware of the striking picture they made to the few couples dancing around them.

Felicity, who had always felt rather awkward when dancing, felt no such emotion as she moved with Oliver. He led and she followed, and while in many cases she would have protested, in this case, she was perfectly content to let him guide them around the floor. She was lost in the feel of being held to his chest, his heartbeat, slightly elevated, strong and steady against her cheek.

Oliver had danced with many women in his life, but realized that none had fit against him as perfectly as Felicity. She moved in time with him, letting him lead without question. He smiled as he wondered if she were aware of that. Pulling her closer, he marveled in how comforting, how right, her head felt resting on his chest, her breathing in sync with his heartbeat.

They stayed that way, locked together for a long time. They only pulled apart when the music stopped as the quartet took a break. Without a word, Oliver took her hand, leading her back to their table, not surprised to see a huge slice of cheesecake with strawberry topping, and two forks, awaiting them.

"Terence knows my weakness, I hope you like cheesecake." Felicity gave him a soft smile as they settled back into the booth. Her eyes opened in surprise as instead of resuming his place across from her, he moved into the booth next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her against his side. She closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in having him so close.

"I love cheesecake," he offered, reaching for a fork and cutting off a small piece. He lifted the fork towards Felicity's mouth, eyes locked on hers as her lips closed around it. The small moan she gave as she swallowed the confection made every muscle in his body harden. He wanted to hear that moan again. He speared another bite, feeding it to her the same way, their eyes never leaving each other. He was entranced by the way her lips closed around the fork, his mind already imagining those lips closing around…other parts of his body.

Felicity's fantasies were spinning out of control at the look in his eyes as he fed her, and was pleased her hand only shook slightly as she grabbed the second fork and repeated the motion with him. She felt her heart nearly beat out of her chest as he sucked the tines of the fork clean, his eyes locked with hers.

They continued to feed each other bites of cheesecake, completely lost in each other's eyes as they did so. It was only when the confection was gone that Felicity sighed.

"Now that's the way to eat cheesecake," she said dreamily.

Oliver couldn't help himself. He leaned over and captured her lips in a gentle, but passionate kiss. He'd wanted to do that all night and couldn't believe he'd waited this long. He deepened the kiss as her mouth opened to him and her tongue met his. He could taste strawberries and cheesecake and that unique flavor he could only describe as Felicity. It was a perfect combination.

Felicity reached up to pull his head closer, her hands stroking over his cheeks and neck as their kiss intensified. Desire was whipping through her body now and she moaned in the back of her throat at the feelings sparking through her body. She felt Oliver's hands tighten on her waist, pulling her almost onto his lap as he continued kissing her. It was only when they had to part for breath that he began running kisses over her chin and neck, and up to the sensitive skin beneath her earlobe that drew a whimper from deep in her throat.

Oliver made a note of her reaction as he feathered his lips back across her chin, brushing over her lips before pulling away to stare down at her. He felt desire rip through him at the emotions so clearly visible in her eyes, the way her body was tense and tight, her heartbeat evident, pounding against her throat, her breathing coming in short pants.

"Wow." It was all Felicity could manage as Oliver rested his forehead against hers. She was glad he'd found the willpower to stop, even though her body cried out for more of his touches, his kisses. But, she realized they were in a very public place, even though their booth was rather secluded.

As if reading her mind, Oliver simply smiled and pulled her against his side, resting his chin against the top of her head. The quartet had retaken the stage and begun a bluesy rendition of "Someone to Watch Over Me." Felicity smiled.

"It's a perfect song to cap off this evening," she said softly as Oliver looked down at her in surprise. She frowned. "You have heard it before, haven't you?" She was genuinely curious.

Oliver thought for a moment. "It sounds familiar, but I don't know if I could tell you the words." Something was tickling at the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite bring it into focus. He smiled as he heard Felicity begin to sing softly, her voice low, but quite good.

_There's a somebody I'm longing to see,_  
I hope that he,  
Turns out to be,  
Someone to watch over me. 

The words resonated with him as he looked at her, suddenly realizing what her earlier words had meant. He smiled. "I'll always watch over you, Felicity. Always."

Felicity felt tears gathering in her eyes but forced them back, smiling up into his eyes. "And I'll always be watching over you, even if it's usually just through your earpiece and video cameras." Her smile softened as she saw the amusement mix with the passion still lingering in his eyes.

Turning their attention back to the stage, Felicity snuggled down against his side, feeling more content than she had in years, if ever. This had truly turned into one of the best dates she'd ever had.

"I'm glad, but wait until you see what I have in store for you tomorrow."

Oliver's words sent a rush of heat over her body as she realized she'd said the last sentence out loud. She could only imagine what he had planned. "Care to give a girl a hint?" She knew it was hopeless but she had to try.

Oliver looked at her, heat and something else, reflected in his eyes. "It's a surprise, but I know you'll love it." With that, he tucked her head back against his chest as he turned his attention back to the quartet. He was glad to know Felicity had enjoyed herself tonight, and he agreed, this had been one of the best dates he'd ever had. And he knew it was all because of the woman curled up against his chest, humming along with the music. He couldn't wait for tomorrow, but for the moment, he was going to enjoy tonight.

They sat that way long into the night, the strains of jazz surrounding them, perfectly content with each other and more relaxed than they'd been in months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so Oliver's Saturday plans are up next...I think you (and Felicity) will enjoy them! Thanks again for continuing to stick with this story and please, let me know what you think!


	18. A Night at the Mansion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver & Felicity finally get their date night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long, but life and other things have kept me away from this. But it's back, and yes, this is finally the chapter with some "M" rated content. If that's not your thing, just skip the indicated section and you're fine. It might, some say, be a bit OOC for Oliver, but I'm sticking by my belief that now that's he's committed to this with Felicity, the romantic in him is coming out. Because I'm sure it's there, with the right woman, and I know both Oliver and Felicity have probably been missing this 'scenario' in their lives! Otherwise, hope you enjoy!

"You're taking me, dressed to the nines, let me add, to the mansion?" She turned to look at Oliver, confusion in her gaze as he pulled into the circular drive.

"Trust me," he smiled at her. "You're going to love this. It's going to be a night to remember."

Felicity felt the blood stir in her veins as she settled back into her seat as he parked the car. She had to admit, she was intrigued. There was such promise in his voice that it sent tingles down her spine. Her breath caught as Oliver turned off the engine and after pressing a kiss to her hand, got out of the car and came around to open her door.

Her mind still flustered from the feel of his lips on her skin, she took his outstretched hand, not surprised at the bolt of electricity that flew down her arm. From his expression, he'd felt it too. She remained silent as she let him lead her up to the front door, wondering if Raisa would be greeting them again. To her surprise, he simply pushed the door open and pulled her inside. It was quiet and she found herself wondering where everyone was.

"My mother is out having dinner with friends, Thea's at Roy's place, and I gave Raisa the night off." His voice was amused as he continued to lead her down the hallway and towards what she thought was the back of the house. She blushed, realizing she'd spoken the last words aloud.

"So, you've got me all alone in your billion dollar mansion." She knew her voice was lower than normal and the heat that sparked in his eyes as he turned to look at her made her shiver. "A girl has to wonder what you have planned Mr. Queen." She felt a bolt of desire slice through her at the way his eyes darkened at her words.

"Trust me, Ms. Smoak, I think you're going to thoroughly enjoy what I have planned for tonight." Oliver's voice was deeper than he'd wanted at this point in the night, his body tight and hard with desire, but then again, he should have realized that with Felicity all bets were off. Forcing his mind and body under control, he gathered himself together as he led her down a long hallway. Reaching a set of double doors, he took a deep breath before pushing them open.

Felicity gasped as Oliver pulled her into a room straight out of one of her most romantic fantasies. Her eyes widened as she took what must have been dozens of huge floral bouquets in every shape, size, and color that filled the room. A small fountain with water trickling and flowing over different levels sat in the center of the room. She turned to take a better look around her, and realized that along with the bouquets, here were numerous other flowers and plants scattered around the room.

"It's beautiful, Oliver." She really had no other words, so taken in by the beauty around her.

"I honestly never spent a lot of time here, it was more Raisa's thing," Oliver said, pleased at the happy expression on her face. He hadn't been sure she'd like it, but some well taken words from Raisa, and the knowledge that underneath it all, Felicity was a romantic, he figured what better place for a romantic date night. And Raisa had not disappointed in setting this up. She was getting a large bonus in her next paycheck.

"Well, it's beautiful and I'm very happy you showed this to me. It's so peaceful and serene," she pulled away from his grasp, feeling the loss of contact with him for a moment, but wanting to explore the room more. She wandered around, realizing that Raisa had a green thumb in addition to every other talent the woman seemed to possess. She made a mental note to ask the woman for tips on how to keep plants alive, as Felicity had never had much luck in that department. She'd even managed to kill a cactus once.

As she moved around the room, her breath caught as her gaze focused on a pair of huge glass doors that led to what looked like a balcony, moonlight shining in through the panes. Moving forward, she pushed through the doors, finding herself staring up at the night sky, filled with twinkling stars. It was gorgeous, and for a moment, she let herself get lost in the view.

She felt a shiver go through her as she suddenly felt Oliver's arms slide around her waist, pulling her back against him, his warmth and scent surrounding her as he joined her in looking up at the sky.

Neither said anything, no words were needed. Felicity realized for the first time in what seemed forever, she felt absolutely and truly content. And most of that was due to the man holding her in his arms, nuzzling his nose against the back of her neck.

What could have been hours, but was probably only minutes later, she forced her gaze from the sky back to the balcony, and finally noticed what was off to the left. A small table was set for two near the trellis that flanked one side of the balcony. There was a formal dinner setting on the table along with a beautiful purple and while centerpiece. A bottle of red wine sat on the table, a corkscrew next to it. It was obvious that extreme care had been taken in setting this up and she couldn't help the catch in her voice as she realized Oliver had done this all for her.

"I figured, why go out when we could stay in?" Oliver's voice was low and smooth against her ear as he gently guided her towards the table. "I've always wanted to do the whole 'romantic by candlelight dinner' here, for someone special," his voice turned wistful. "It just took me a misspent youth, an extended island stay, and the right woman to realize that was something I wanted." He knew his expression was open and honest as he looked down at Felicity. "So consider it another thing that I missed in life finally fulfilled for me. Thanks to you."

Felicity struggled to hold back the emotions swamping her, not only at his honest emotion but also at the fact that despite what many might think, Oliver Queen did have a romantic bone, perhaps quite a few, in his body. "You figured right. This is beautiful. I can't believe you did this for me. And just so you know," she looked up at him with a smile, "no man has ever set up a romantic by candlelight dinner for me, much less at his mansion, even though it's been a wish of mine for a while." Instinctively, she leaned up to brush her lips across his. She deliberately kept it short and sweet, pulling back before either of them could deepen it. She loved the anticipation building between them and wanted to draw it out a little longer.

Oliver simply smiled as he pulled out her chair and helped her settle in. He wasn't going to fight her, even though he wanted nothing more than to drag her upstairs and forget about dinner altogether. But that wasn't what this was about. They had time. He had this all planned out to the last detail. He wanted to give her, give them, this experience. He could wait. At least for another hour or so.

Felicity's attention was suddenly drawn to the bottle of red wine sitting on the table. Leaning over to read the label, she drew in a breath as it registered. Her gaze turned to Oliver and she knew he could read her perfectly.

"I believe I promised you this a long time ago. I figured now was the perfect time to deliver." Oliver smiled as he reached for the bottle, seeing her eyes grow wide with anticipation. He wondered if he should feel offended it was the bottle of wine he held that she was giving that look to. He gave her an amused look as he uncorked and poured them each a glass.

Felicity could almost feel herself salivating as she lifted her glass and inhaled the bouquet of flavors. There was a reason this was a very, very expensive bottle of wine and she was going to savor it. She lifted the glass to her lips, taking a delicate sip. She groaned, eyes sliding closed, as pure bliss exploded across her taste buds.

Oliver felt his body harden at the sound. Her eyes were closed but he could see the pure pleasure that crossed her features as she swallowed the wine. Never had he thought he could be so turned on by watching a woman drink wine, but then again, he'd never really watched Felicity savor it. He had a sudden suspicion it was something he was going to want to see, and hear, more often.

Felicity finally came back to herself, blushing as she saw the heated way Oliver was looking at her. But she wasn't going to apologize for enjoying a good wine. Like good sex, wine was meant to be savored. But she would be lying if she said she didn't find his intense gaze even more of a turn on than the wine. Still, patience was required here and she was determined to give it.

"If I'd have known what I was missing, I would have demanded you give me this a long time ago, obviously fake scavenger hunt or not." She smiled, seeing happiness temper the desire in his eyes at her words. She realized, once again, she liked seeing him look so stress free, and well, so happy.

"Well, I only hope you feel the same about dinner." With a small motion of his hand, a waiter suddenly appeared as if out of nowhere, carrying two plates.

Felicity wondered where he'd come from, but decided it didn't matter the second he set the gorgeous looking plate of food in front of her. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation and she couldn't bring herself to feel embarrassed as Oliver laughed.

"Don't wait any longer, go ahead and see what you think of Raisa's cooking." He smiled and thanked the waiter when his own plate was placed in front of him before the man quickly disappeared back into the mansion.

Felicity sighed at her first bite. Really, it was a crime that Raisa didn't own her own restaurant. Was there nothing the woman couldn't do? "It's wonderful. Better than some of the 4 star restaurants I've been to." Suddenly something occurred to her. "But wait, you're telling me she cooked all this, then took the night off?"

Oliver nodded. "She wanted to do it, but insisted she leave us alone for the evening." He had to admit, it was one of her better meals, although he was getting more enjoyment out of seeing Felicity savor her food. Really, was there anything the woman did that didn't turn him on?

"Well, make sure you tell her this is incredible!" Felicity took another bite, reveling in the atmosphere, almost, for a moment, wondering if she were dreaming. After all, a month ago, she would never have imagined Oliver taking her on a 'date,' much less the romantic thoughtfulness that had gone into the process.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, but make sure you save room for dessert." Oliver smiled as he heard her laughter, pleased to see her here, in his home, with him. For a moment, he sobered, thinking once again how close he'd come to losing her. But before the dark thoughts could take a hold, her laughter brought him back to the moment and he realized he was a fool if he didn't simply take advantage of the present.

They continued to talk as they ate, discussing everything and anything that came to mind. The only thing they deliberately stayed away from was anything related to their night jobs. Instead, they took the time to get to know each other even better, exchanging stories of their childhood and college years, learning things that surprised and amused them about each other. It truly was, in Oliver's opinion, the best date he'd ever had. Felicity, for her part, wondered only that it had taken them this long to get to this point.

When their plates were clean, the waiter suddenly appeared again, to clear the table and pour them more wine. Felicity was feeling full and content, and the slow arousal that had been building all evening was growing stronger with every moment that passed. The way he was looking at her, his hand holding hers as it rested on the table, well, she was seriously considering rising and moving over to settle herself on his lap. But her plans were thwarted as the waiter suddenly returned, this time carrying two plates that held some kind of chocolate cake.

Her attention was back on the food when she realized it was a six layer chocolate and almond creme filled cake. Her mouth watered, as she thanked the waiter and reached for her fork. She jumped as Oliver's hand covered hers, pushing it lightly away from the utensil. Her throat grew dry as he picked the fork up, cut off a small piece of the cake on her plate, and held it to her lips. Without question she opened her mouth and accepted the morsel, making sure to lick every last delicious bit of frosting from the tines. The chocolate and almond flavors burst over her tongue, and combined with the intensity reflected in Oliver's dark eyes as he watched her, she couldn't help but moan in pure delight, her eyes falling closed in near ecstasy.

Oliver again felt his body harden at the sound, and the wanton expression on her face as she savored the cake. He was suddenly developing a new appreciation for food and Felicity. It took all his control to remain sitting, feeding her, instead of standing and pulling her into his arms.

"Okay, now it's my turn." Her words brought him back to the present and he watched, heart pounding, as she reached for his fork and proceeded to feed him a piece of the cake. It was good, but it was nothing compared to the way she was looking at him.

They continued to feed each other in silence, eyes locked, until the last crumbs were gone. Dragging herself back to the present, Felicity sighed contentedly as she placed the fork on her now empty plate. This had truly been one of the best meals of her life, along with some of the best company. She smiled as her gaze again locked on Oliver.

"That was wonderful, thank you Oliver. Five star restaurants have nothing on this."

Oliver laughed, feeling lighter and more relaxed than he had in years. Not to mention he was quickly realizing that his home looked a hell of a lot better with her in it. The revelation should have surprised him, but honestly, it didn't. He figured it was a sign that she and this relationship were both truly something special.

Felicity smiled, wondering where his mind was, feeling her heart pound at the steady heat visible in his eyes. She wondered what he had planned next.

"Why don't you come with me and find out?" His dark, low voice startled her as she realized again that she'd spoken what was in her thoughts. But the look in his eyes made her heart race as he stood and offered her his hand.

"Don't you know by now that I'd follow you anywhere?" She wasn't sure what made her say it in that way, but the way his breath caught, and the fire that flashed through his eyes made her catch her breath. For once, there wasn't a hint of guilt or pain in those dark orbs. There was nothing but pure desire. For her. And she couldn't wait to see what came next.

Seeing he wasn't going to reply with words, she stood and took his hand, feeling the now familiar jolt of desire course through her body. She allowed him to lead her back into the mansion and through the conservatory. She followed him out into the softly lit hallway, her anticipation and desire mounting.

She looked at him curiously as after several twists and turns, he stopped in front of another ornate set of double doors. Her curiosity was aroused again as she wondered just how many rooms this place had. And what was behind this set of double doors.

She didn't have to wonder long as he used his free hand to push the doors open, turning to smile at her as he led her through them and into a ballroom that was straight out of "Beauty and the Beast." She gasped at the huge crystal chandeliers hanging in clusters around the richly decorated room. Tapestries covered some of the walls while at the opposite end of the room, two huge double doors led out to yet another open-air patio.

"Oliver, this is gorgeous! This is the stuff fairy tales are made of!" His rich laughter made her smile and she couldn't help the urge she had to suddenly whirl around in a circle, swearing she could hear music in her head. As she stopped twirling, she suddenly realized that the music she'd heard was not in her head, but now filling the room around her, flowing out of hidden, but well placed speakers.

She gasped as Oliver suddenly appeared at her side and slid one arm around her waist, taking one of her hands in his. The feeling of his warm, solid body so close to hers sent her mind spinning off into the stratosphere. She breathed in the intoxicating scents of him, sandalwood and leather saturating her senses and she couldn't help but press her nose closer to his neck, wanting to surround herself with nothing but his scent and the security and desire it aroused in her.

Her gasp was audible as she felt one of his fingers brush across the skin of her collarbone before coming to rest lightly under her chin, tipping her face up to his. Trails of fire seemed to linger in his wake and as she locked gazes with him, desire flooded through her system.

"Ever since I saw you dancing with AJ the other night, all I wanted was to be the man in your arms." His voice was low and deep and it sent a shudder down her spine. "Dance with me, Felicity?"

She could only nod as the music swelled around her and Oliver began to lead her across the floor. To her surprise, she found herself completely in sync with him. There was no awkwardness as there usually was with other dance partners she'd had. Instead it was almost as if they flowed perfectly together. She followed wherever he led. She supposed that was nothing new. Her gaze remained locked on his face as they moved, unable to look anywhere else as she lost herself in the music and the amazing man holding her so close she couldn't tell where he started and she began.

She didn't know how long they danced, eyes locked, bodies pressed together swaying in perfect harmony. The music, which had started out light and jazzy, she suddenly noted, had turned sultry and sensual. It only fanned the flames of desire sizzling through her.

Unconsciously, she reached up to place a light kiss against his neck, enjoying the way the chords in his throat moved against her lips as he swallowed. He tasted even better than she'd remembered and she couldn't stop herself from letting her lips wander along his neck, delighting in the way his arms tightened around her. Feeling daring, she nipped gently at the skin beneath his ear, quickly soothing the sting with her tongue. His stifled gasp sent a wave of satisfaction and arousal through her body.

She couldn't help the moan that escaped as he suddenly buried his hands in her hair, pulling her head back and her gaze to his. The desire in those dark orbs took her breath away. She licked her suddenly dry lips, wondering why he didn't just kiss her. The tension was excruciating and she didn't know how much longer she could hold out.

"Turnabout is fair play." She gasped at his whispered words, and found herself only able to whimper as his warm lips suddenly descended on her neck.

Oliver was lost in sensation as he tasted her, noting she tasted both sweet and spicy, a flavor he would now only associate with the woman in his arms. His teeth nipped and bit along her collarbone, wanting to leave his mark on her milky skin. It was a powerful, primal feeling and he wasn't going to fight it. Not anymore.

He nearly lost all his hard won control at the deep, low moan she gave as her hands rose to pull him closer, pulling his head harder against her neck. He continued marking her skin, moving up to plant nips and kisses against the sensitive spot under her ear he'd discovered made her entire body shudder.

Her scent surrounded him, making him even dizzier with desire as his hands slid up and down her back, stroking along the bare skin revealed by the low cut back of her dress. Her skin was soft and silky and felt so warm against his rough palms. He growled as she whimpered against him, pressing her body tightly to his, circling her hips against his as they continued to sway together.

Felicity whimpered as she felt him, hard against her thigh and moved against him rhythmically, desperate for pressure where she needed it most. Her whimpers mixed with his low growls as he let his lips roam from her neck to her chin until he slanted his mouth over hers in a hard, heated kiss. It was the most overwhelming, overpowering, wonderful feeling she'd ever experienced.

Oliver felt jolts of fire shoot through him as he kissed her with a passion he hadn't ever felt for anyone before. Her lips were like silken fire against his, as they devoured each other. Moaning against her lips, he tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling it to gain leverage to deepen the kiss.

The delicious friction made Felicity moan as she felt his warm hands turning her body to his every whim. It was only the need for breath that had her finally pulling back. She took in deep gulps of air as she stared up into his dark eyes, burning now with an intense desire that threatened to incinerate them both.

Oliver was trying to remember how to breathe himself, his hands still tangled tightly in her hair, eyes locked on her lips, which were red and swollen from his kisses as she panted for breath. She was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

"Now that's the way to leave a girl breathless, Oliver."

The way she said his name sent another bolt of desire racing straight to his groin. He'd thought he could hold out, create the perfect seduction that she deserved and he'd thought he wanted. But he was definitely going to have to rethink his plan because there was no way he was going to be able to take this slow. But that was okay, because as he'd learned over the past six years, some things were better when you improvised.

_*****SMUT STARTS HERE. SKIP TO THE NEXT SET OF *** IF YOU DON'T WANT GRAPHIC***** _

Taking her lips once again, his hands slid to her waist, pulling her tightly against him as he thrust against her. The kiss screamed of desperation and long held desire. His body tightened unbearably as she moaned roughly and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, nails digging into his skin.

Felicity was feeling so much she didn't know if she'd survive the onslaught. His hands were also becoming much bolder, his long fingers sliding up her waist and over the silk of her dress and into the deep V of the front, brushing lightly across her breasts, peaking the already tight nipples that strained against their confinement. Whimpering, she clutched him closer.

Oliver knew things were fast spinning out of control and while his plans for a long, drawn out seduction were fading fast, he was determined to slow things down. He might want nothing more than to take her then and there, but he was not going to grope her like an overeager teenager. She deserved better. They deserved better.

And besides, there was nothing he liked more than hearing a beautiful woman moan her desires in his ear as he was pleasuring her. The fact that it would be Felicity only served to send his arousal skyrocketing.

Still, he allowed the kiss to deepen as his fingers lingered against the bare flesh of her upper chest, marveling at how her heaving breaths almost sent her breasts spilling out of it. His smile feral, he pulled back, allowing one finger to softly rim the edge of her breast, enjoying the small whimpers coming from the back of her throat.

"You like my touch, Felicity?"

He smiled as she whimpered. She was beautiful, her eyes pools of desire as her breasts heaved against him. Her lips parted as she gasped for air, allowing most of her weight to fall against him, in all the right places. With a small smile, he slid his leg fully between hers, drawing another loud whimper in reply.

"No reply, Felicity? Would you rather I do something different? Touch you in some other way?"

Felicity's eyes flew open at his husky, teasing words. A strangled moan emerged from her throat as she felt one of those long, talented fingers slip into the crevice between her breasts, stroking the side of one globe with a fingertip. The feeling was exquisite, robbing her of speech as she pressed herself against him, unable to do more than whimper and beg him with her eyes to continue.

"Still no answer? I guess we'll have to try something else then."

She struggled for breath, not sure whether to be annoyed by his words, despite his sensual tone. The desire that suddenly swamped her obliterated all else as his finger slid underneath the material covering her breasts to brush across one straining nipple. At the same time, his lips lowered to her neck and nipped at the familiar flesh beneath her earlobe. A bolt of desire crashed into her, liquefying her entire body. She cried out at the sensation.

"Oliver!"

The sound of her hoarse voice crying his name nearly sent him over the edge. He'd thought her breathy moans and whimpers were arousing enough. He found it strangely satisfying he had reduced her to near speechlessness. Quite a task for anyone when it involved Felicity Smoak. However, he soon realized that nothing could compare to the heat that flooded him at hearing her call out his name in total abandon. He was rock hard now, his desire throbbing against the tight constraints of his pants. His skin felt super-sensitized as he stroked the softness of her breasts, enjoying the way her nipples peaked against his fingers.

Felicity felt as if every nerve in her body was on fire as she whimpered and arched against Oliver, begging him to continue. The rasp of his breath across her neck as he licked her skin made her tremble. The teasing way he stroked her breasts nearly made her knees give out. All she could do was lean farther into him, arching even closer, needing more of the incredible sensations swamping her body. And from his low moans and the feel of him pressing hard and strong against her thigh, she could tell he felt the same.

Panting, she managed to slide her hands between them and to his waist, pulling his shirt from his pants, allowing her access to his heated skin. She couldn't hold back a moan as she felt the texture of his flesh, outlining the firm abdomen she'd dreamed about countless nights, especially after he'd done the salmon ladder.

Tracing every sharp line and lean muscle, she slid her hands up to brush over his small male nipples, her smile turning feral as she heard him moan against her. Moving quickly, and with only the slightest regret, she pushed him away from her long enough to yank at his shirt, the buttons flying off as she freed him of it. His growl made her shudder but didn't stop her as she began biting and sucking along his collarbone, her mouth quickly moving down his chest.

She was rewarded with a harsh intake of breath as she kissed across and over every scar, not paying any one more attention than another, caring only about the feel of his body, his muscles jerking beneath her as she indulged in several of her long-standing fantasies about having him shirtless and at her mercy.

Oliver could not bring a coherent thought to mind as he let Felicity have her way with him, amazed at the sensations shooting through his system. It had been far too long, if ever, that he'd felt such a burning desire to tear off a woman's clothing and ravish her. But he was fast reaching the point of no return as the woman in his arms proceeded to drive him wild.

"You taste good, I want to taste more." He felt himself nearly lose all control as her husky voice washed over him while her hands slid down to stroke the bulge now straining against his pants. The friction was nearly unbearable.

"Feel free."

He was surprised he managed to even get the words out as he felt her nimble fingers yank the zipper of his pants down before sliding in to draw his aching flesh into the warmth of her palm. He cursed as she smiled up at him and gave a hard squeeze that nearly ended things then and there.

Maybe it was the triumph he read in her eyes, or the burning lust he could see that matched his. Whatever it was, he needed to take back the upper hand now. Before he completely lost it and took her with no thought to anything but pleasure and need.

Twining one hand in her hair, he slammed his lips onto hers, tongue ravaging her mouth even as her hand began to stroke him in quick, hard motions, exactly the way he liked. His free hand slid to the hem of her dress, hiking it up around her waist with no thought but to feel the sweet flesh that lay beneath. He inhaled sharply as his fingers found her panties, a thin scrap of lace really, drenched, her body instinctively arching against his probing fingers.

Felicity couldn't help but tear her mouth from his and cry out as she felt him push aside the soaked fabric and slide two long fingers into her willing body, her inner muscles clamping down hard on the welcome intrusion. Nothing had ever felt this good in her life before, and she found herself whimpering and begging him incoherently never to stop.

He must have understood because he began to thrust his fingers sharply into her, in time with her own motions against him. Panting, she lifted her eyes to stare directly into his as they pleasured each other with their hands.

Suddenly, she felt him hit the flashpoint inside her. She screamed his name as he hit it again, and then again and again and again as she lost all coherent thought but to move, arching, pushing, thrusting against his fingers.

Oliver nearly came himself as he watched her total abandon as she moved against him, begging him to continue with harsh, guttural words that he should have been shocked to hear coming from her. But she was beautiful like this, lost in the throes of passion, her hand falling from him as she lost herself to her own pleasure. His hardness ached at the loss of her touch but he knew in a few short moments, it would more than be made up for. Right now, he simply wanted to watch her enjoy the cliff he was taking her over.

He felt himself twitch painfully as she suddenly convulsed against him, crying out his name in a voice laden with lust and ecstasy. He simply held her tightly as she writhed against him, watching as the waves of pleasure swept over her, turning her beautiful face into a rapturous sight he would never forget, no matter how long he lived.

Felicity was lost to everything but the sensation blinding her as she fell farther and farther into a heated pool of ecstasy. Colors and lights exploded around her, the pleasure nearly too much to bear. Finally, after what seemed an endless fall, she felt herself touch bottom again, eyes fluttering open to see the most wonderful image she could ever imagine.

Oliver Queen holding her against him, an expression of intense desire and lust on his face, his body hard against hers. She could barely think coherently, but despite her euphoric bliss, she knew he needed more.

"Oliver, let go."

She whispered the words even as she reached for him again, stroking him hard and fast. Once, twice, three times was all it took before he uttered a hoarse cry of her name and exploded, his body shuddering, wracked with tremors.

He'd wanted to be inside her when he'd lost it, wanted to have her right there with him for the entire journey. But the feel of her hand on him, against him, stroking, pulling, rubbing him as she whispered for him to 'let go' was too much. He could only hope she could support his weight as he collapsed against her, waves of ecstasy washing over him as he shuddered against her.

Several minutes later he came back to himself, noting Felicity was literally supporting all of his weight as she nuzzled into his neck, fingers stroking sensually along his scalp. "What did you do to me? I wanted slow and steady, to seduce you out of your mind for our first time."

Felicity managed enough breath to laugh at his rumbled words, the sensation tickling her ear where his lips now rested.

"Slow and steady is good, but fast and furious is by far the best. For the first time at least." She felt him shudder at her words as he pulled back to look into her eyes. The heat blazing in them nearly undid her again as she whimpered and felt him lean down to take her lips once again.

Oliver was amazed that the woman in his arms could return his passion without a thought to the fact that they'd just satisfied each other. Of course, he was pretty sure that where Felicity was concerned, stamina was probably not going to prove a problem. At least that's what his body was telling him as he hardened against her yet again.

Felicity sighed, teasing his tongue as their kiss dragged on, sensual and deep as their bodies rubbed against each other. Her hands raked through his hair, drawing a low moan as his hands slid to the bodice of her dress. With a small move, he pushed the material down until it pooled around her feet, exposing her to the cool night air. Her panties quickly followed. But any coolness was soon replaced with the warm heat of his mouth against her sensitive flesh.

She mewled low in her throat as she pulled him against her, whimpering as his fingers played with her other breast, pulling and tugging in the same rhythm as his mouth.

"Oliver, please! I need more!"

She wasn't sure what she was asking, all she knew was that she would die if she didn't get it soon. She'd never been this turned on, so fast after being satisfied before and she wasn't going to question it. Somehow, it didn't surprise her. This was Oliver Queen, star of too many of her fantasies to count. He must have understood because an instant later, he'd dropped to his knees and buried his face between her legs.

Her scream only drove him faster and further, his tongue sliding through her folds before stabbing at her clit. At the same time, he thrust one, then two fingers inside her, feeling her jerk against him as she shuddered. He finally removed his fingers so he could use both hands to steady her waist.

Then he dove back in, this time pushing his tongue deep into her body, her taste tangy and tart as he felt her contract around him. Her voice was a hoarse cry of his name as she crashed into another orgasm, and he rode her through it, keeping her steady on legs that were trembling. He realized, then and there, that he was going to become completely addicted to doing this to her. He wasn't complaining.

Felicity was pretty sure she'd died and gone to heaven. The feel of Oliver's lips and tongue driving her over the edge was something she was pretty sure she wasn't going to be able to do without anymore. Riding the wave back down to earth, she looked down to see his satisfied smile, lips glistening with her moisture as he held her until her legs were steady enough to support her on their own. And she suddenly realized he had far too many clothes on.

Reaching down, she pulled him up her body, at the same time her hands pushed his pants and boxers down to his ankles. With a dexterity that shouldn't have surprised her, Oliver managed to get his shoes, pants and boxers off, all while planting kisses up and across her body.

Felicity could feel her body, amazingly, building to yet another peak. But this time, she needed more. She needed him with her. She took the initiative then, using her own strength, and managed to push him around and onto one of the low sofas that sat alongside the dance floor, straddling him as she went.

She watched his grin turn into a low moan as she began to kiss her way down his bare chest, letting her hands rake across his bare skin, feeling his growl reverberate through his chest. His body was like fire against her, the evidence of his desire strong and pulsing rhythmically against her inner thighs again. With a sly smile she moved lower, feeling his hands come to fist in her hair, but not stopping her.

She felt her need for him growing as she allowed her breath to blow lightly over the tip of his erection, watching his body arch up towards her lips. She managed to look up at him, feeling a new wave of lust as she watched his dark eyes blaze with desire. Then, with her eyes locked on his, she took him deep into her mouth.

Oliver didn't know he was capable of making the strange, strangled sound he heard emerge from his throat as Felicity began to move against him in a rhythm all her own. He thought he'd die at the sensation of her hot, wet mouth, tugging on him. He kept his hands fisted tightly in her hair, not forcing her but urging her with the movement of his hips to move faster. He could feel himself growing harder, feel the desire in him rise as he watched the blonde head bent erotically over him.

God she was a beautiful sight! Her hair fell softly around her cheeks as she looked up at him, judging what he liked and disliked from his expression. He felt himself nearing the edge, but struggled for control, knowing he wanted her with him when they crashed.

With another low growl, he pulled her away from him, and up his body, clamping his mouth down over hers and kissing her desperately as he slid two fingers into her, feeling her hot and ready for him.

Felicity moaned into the kiss arching against his fingers, begging him with her body to take her. He must have read her mind because he quickly withdrew his fingers and reached down to fumble for his pants, lying on the floor next to the couch. Felicity stilled against him, sensing what he was doing, trying to reign in her desire by planting kisses against every piece of bare skin she could reach. Finally, she heard a ripping sound and seconds later, he was moving her slightly so he could slide the condom on. She pushed his hands away, finishing the task, loving the growl he gave as she then positioned him right where she wanted him.

"Felicity, look at me."

When her gaze focused on his, he saw the answers to any questions he might still have had. She wanted this as much as he did. Her next words sent him over the edge.

"Take me Oliver. Now!"

Felicity knew her words were more of a guttural moan, but she couldn't manage anything else. She was desperate to feel him hard and full inside her and didn't want to wait another minute. The words obviously had the desired effect because with another low growl, he entered her with one hard thrust.

Oliver felt stars explode behind his eyes as her body clenched around him like a tight glove. She was so tight, so hot, it was nearly unbearable.

"God Oliver, it feels so good. Please, more!"

He complied with her harsh moans, pulling her hips down to his as she frantically bucked up against him, determined to go as deep inside of her as he could. He knew he was uttering his own growls and pleas, but was unable to register anything but the sight of her above him, reveling in the pleasure he was giving her.

"Felicity, let go, come for me!"

The sensual words, filled with desperation, sent her flying over the edge. She shrieked his name as her body clenched tightly around him, jerking slightly as he flew over the edge as well with a cry of her name. For a few moments, they simply moved against each other, riding out the waves of ecstasy as they floated back down to earth.

When she could finally breathe again, she let her head come to rest against his chest, bodies still joined, enjoying the afterglow of earth-shattering sex. There were no words for what she'd just experienced and she didn't even want to try and find any. The moment was too perfect to be marred by something as mundane as words.

Oliver also felt no need to say anything. The bliss he'd felt while buried in her body was still with him as he cuddled her closer, reluctant to release her. The silence between them was a sensual thing, filled with emotions they weren't quite ready to admit to but that were undoubtedly there. After a few moments, Oliver managed enough strength to lean down and brush a kiss across her forehead, smiling as her face came up to look at him.

_*****SMUT ENDS...YOU CAN KEEP READING FROM HERE ON OUT***** _

Felicity smiled as she read the pure, relaxed contentment in Oliver's eyes. She felt proud that she'd managed to put it there. And she intended to see it there more and more often. And she knew just how to keep his gaze relaxed, a smile on his face.

"You realize this definitely fits the criteria of you holding me in a definitely non-platonic way, right?"

Oliver laughed, the sound free and joyous as he hugged her closer. She could swear there was a twinkle in his eyes as he responded.

"So you're not going to hurt me if I say it felt really good to be inside you?"

She laughed in pure delight at his audacity, reaching up to plant a light kiss against his lips. She moaned as she felt him stir against her, his lips taking hers in another deeply sensual kiss. Pulling back a few moments later, she saw an answering desire burning again in his eyes.

"It felt really good having you inside me. I'd kind of like to continue it. If you're up for it of course."

With a sensual laugh, Oliver leaned down and kissed her passionately. When he finally pulled back for breath, he smiled into her eyes.

"I'm always up for you, Felicity." He winked at her as he slid her off him before standing, then pulling her up from the couch and into his arms. "But we're moving this to my bed. I've got quite a few more things I want to 'teach' you before our lesson is over for the night. And I suspect there's a few things you can teach me."

Felicity felt a delicious shudder flow over her body as he carried her from the ballroom. This was definitely the best lesson ever. And she'd think about what she was going to do to top it later. Much later. For now, she was simply going to enjoy the fact that she was exactly where she wanted to be, with the man she loved more than life itself. And even if he couldn't say it yet, she knew he felt the same. For now, it was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you go...the romantic, smexy lesson. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for sticking with this story despite the long hiatus. Comment if you feel so inclined, but thanks for reading!


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